A Hand Up
by spankingfemfatale
Summary: Spinning off of the 'Beyond' comics. Parker Robbins, The Hood, has taken the role of King Pin of crime to carve out a better life for himself and his family, but what if someone could make him an offer to change his life around? WARNING! Contains spanking
1. Revelation

My lovely hubby has done it again! Bringing my fantasy plot bunnies to glorious life! =D I tell the story, he writes the details! For all those who know me and read the fics I post here, you'll know my fanfic posted stories all usually have spanking in them. This story of course is no exception, but a spanking doesn't come around until the 4th chapter. So you'll have to be patient or skip ahead, but I'll say now, it's worth the wait! LOL! For a Christmas present, we wanted to upload enough chapters not to leave you readers hanging! You'll get a sense of completion, but you will hopefully still have a lot more to look forward to in the future as the next bit is currently getting pumped out! :P

Now then... on to the story! =D

Janet Van Dyne reminded herself again that what she was doing wasn't bad. At least, not in principle; Janet could not help but admit to herself that doing this right after Gravity's funeral did make her feel a little guilty. After all, she would never have been able to try if Parker Robbins had not shown up to honestly mourn a good man's death.

Janet had to weigh the means versus the ends here though, since knowing who Parker was and what he was up to was paramount to her as an Avenger.

The oddest thing about the mysterious figurehead vaguely identified simply as 'the Hood' had been that even S.H.I.E.L.D. did not know who he was.

That had changed when the being known only as 'the Stranger' had used his deific powers to pluck the Hood and multiple Avengers up for his lethal experimentation. In the course of horrific events that followed, the Hood actually volunteered his name to them, perhaps thinking he likely would not survive the encounter.

A name was something to go on, but the Hood had a rapport for being impossible to track down even so and with powers like invisibility and intangibility, it wasn't hard to see why. So Janet had used her unique powers to shrink herself down so small she was difficult to see with the human eye, and used the same trick she had used on the cyborg Deathlok back on the Stranger's created world; she hid inside his ear.

Janet was as quiet as she could possibly be, knowing that if she gave herself away, Parker's ability to become intangible could still ruin her attempt to follow his movements. The Hood was supposedly the coordinator of a vast group of super-powered criminals, and despite the perhaps rude timing, Janet could not pass up this opportunity to find out everything she could about his involvement.

As she rode along in Parker's ear, however, the last thing she had expected to see and hear from him was an overall sense of decency and respect that he showed his girlfriend, whom had attended the funeral with him. Not so much as a curse word escaped his lips, and his manner was cheerful; a stark contrast to the dour mood she had become accustomed to.

They had been undergoing an ordeal then, though, and the thought that they might never return home surely crossed Parker's mind as it had hers.

Perhaps his irritation had been on account of his wish to return to his happy partnership with this Sara, who seemed a genuinely good person.

Janet frowned as she thought to herself. Parker must be pulling the wool over her eyes, a con artist of high magnitude to seem so genuine, after all, what decent girl wanted to be with anyone involved with organized crime?

When Parker and Sara returned home, though, Janet was in for even more of a surprise. They had a daughter, Briana, who immediately called out for her daddy even as Parker rushed up to her to take her into his arms, smothering her in kisses.

Janet started to wonder if she didn't somehow have the wrong person. This man obviously loved his daughter, it showed in his eyes, and no amount of faking it would match such an open display of affection. But hardened criminals can have families too, she reminded herself. The fact that he cared for his family did not extend to meaning that he wasn't still a killer. After all, she had seen the man rip organs from the shape shifting creature called the 'Space Phantom'.

Janet was shaken nonetheless as she watched Parker take the time to sit on the floor with little Briana and play with her. Regardless of what she resolved, the man whose ear she hid in certainly did not act the part of a super criminal. Janet began to wonder if there was some mistake.

Later, Janet's sense of right concerning the task at hand was solidified completely, as Parker flew over the city to his base of operations. She always found it to be a jolt to the senses, if fascinating, to shrink down and be inside someone.

As Parker went invisible that sense went over its end, though, and she had to fight not to start flapping her wings to stay aloft, as it seemed as if she were suddenly free-falling, despite the fact that she still felt the solidity of Parker's ear canal below her. She carefully sat, not trusting her balance like this, and prayed that Parker didn't leap through a building.

As the Hood entered the room, Janet gazed around to see villains of all backgrounds and types waited for Parker at a large wooden table. Janet noticed that Parker didn't immediately make himself visible, instead standing at the foot of the table, apparently listening to their idle conversation.

Janet realized then that not only was Parker smarter than she had originally given credit, but a boss who could listen in at any time would certainly inspire loyalty, even in hardened crooks. Parker suddenly appeared, most of the slouched men and women in the room glancing over at him as they straightened.

Janet listened as they discussed business, and her brow drew down as any doubts as to Parker's involvement in this circle faded away. He spoke with an entirely different air to these people, an edge of authority hidden behind a thin veil of diplomacy. There was no mistaking who was in charge here.

Janet listened in on their entire plan to bust some minor players out of a medium security prison, realizing once the meeting concluded that she had heard more than enough. She had to wait for a good time to leave, though, as getting caught now would be highly dangerous in addition to invalidating the whole point of her mission.

Janet waited until Parker exited the H.Q., invisible, of course; the better to frighten the more primitive criminals. Finally letting out a sigh of relief, she waited until they were far enough away that she should have removed even the slightest chance of being discovered before exiting Parker's ear.

There she paused; however, as she noticed that Parker wasn't heading towards his home and family. Janet waited, unsure if she should follow him or call it with the information she already had. Torn between potentially putting her mission in jeopardy and possibly finding out something important, Janet finally followed him down a dirty side street.

Janet saw that Parker had removed his hood and cloak and placed both in a backpack, a maneuver she found both odd and highly fortunate, since if he disappeared now she would have no option to continue following his movements.

Then Parker exited the alleyway and continued on through a few more winding turns to a four story building in a cleaner part of town that boasted itself to be a nursing home. Janet was confused but nonetheless slid through the door behind Parker before it could close.

Sure enough, the building was in fact a nursing home, with nurse staff roaming the halls and the occasional elderly person slowly making their way along the softly lit corridors. Parker signed in at the front and walked through the various hallways to the elevator as a person who was familiar with the building.

At the second floor, he went straight to the room it seemed he was looking for and knocked a few times before entering. Janet was too far back to hear if someone had responded, but she flew up quickly to get inside before he could shut the door on her.

Inside was another scene for Janet to Marvel at. Here a woman sat, whose eyes and mouth bore the lines of a person accustomed to smiling, obviously under some form of debilitating mental condition. Parker spoke to her with obvious love, though, spending hours just bringing her up to speed on how things were.

Janet noticed he mentioned the current news and how Briana and Sara were doing, but said nothing about his involvement as the Hood. Of course, this man was living a double life; why share his darker side with his mother?

That was whom she was, Parker indicating as much as he spoke. Janet frowned as once again she was haunted by the idea of locking Parker away in prison. He was nineteen years old, just a kid, with obvious good in him. She had never actually seen him kill anyone though she had heard a rumor that the Hood had been involved with a policeman's death.

As Janet watched the realization that Parker was going to spend hours just telling his mother sweet things made her decide she would need to get a second opinion. As uncomfortable as it made her to do so, there was only one other Avenger she knew of who had spent any time with Parker to help her with her choice.

Janet exited the room when a nurse came inside with drinks for Parker and his mother, and she flew as fast as she could back to the Avenger's mansion.

Henry Pym raised an eyebrow at Janet's story, "Wait, so you think he's really a 'nice guy', and you're looking for another way to stop his reign as the kingpin of this city rather than the legal one of sending him to jail for his crimes?"

Janet gave Hank an angry scowl, "Well, put that way you make it seem silly, but I don't see you in jail for your crimes!"

Hank's voice raised an octave as he countered, "Oh, so we should compare penitent ex-Avengers to common thugs with powers who run criminal cartels?"

Janet crossed her arms over her chest and glared, and Hank sighed and dragged a hand across his face. "Sorry, Janet, I understand what you mean, and sure I believe he should have a second chance, but he has to want it."

Janet nodded, "Of course! I just wanted to have you on board for this because I have a plan to try and turn his life around for him…"

Hank gave her a despondent look, "Oh boy."

Parker sighed as he stepped away from the nursing home, glancing back and thinking for the hundredth time that his mother didn't deserve to be in a place where old people were sent to die. He simply hadn't had the money to afford her any kind of real treatment before, though, and now…

Parker lowered his head as he stuck his hands in his jacket pockets. Now the specialist doctors he could recently afford were telling him that she was beyond help; possibly had always been beyond help. So Parker had left her here in this drab place because at least here she knew people and it was familiar.

Parker turned at least to leave and froze at the sight of Janet Van Dyne standing in front of him, looking at him. His mind raced with reasons why she would be there and he could only seize on it being a coincidence. He regarded her warily regardless, "Are you following me?"

Janet shook her head, "No. At least not right now; I have followed you in the past, that's how I knew you'd be here." Janet open her palms as a sign of peace as she saw anger light in Parker's eyes, "I'm not here to fight or try to haul you off to jail; I just want to talk."

Parker arched an eyebrow at her, his expression guarded, "'Haul me off to jail'… what reason could you have to do such a thing? If you have an accusation I suggest you make it known before you threaten."

Janet sighed. She didn't know how she had ever managed to become leader of the Avengers; she was particularly bad at diplomacy. "Look, I just want to talk and met you here to let you know that I know you're a good person who just wants what's best for his family."

A dark look passed over Parker's eyes as what she said removed all doubt as to why she had bumped into him right outside the nursing home. "What, are you going to blackmail me now? I thought Craig said you were one of the Avengers, the 'good guys'."

Janet sighed again, realizing that this was going to be even harder than she had originally thought. "No, I'm not going to blackmail you…" Her gaze wandered to a parlor down the street, and she pointed with her thumb, giving Parker a quirky smile, "Want some ice cream?"

Parker spooned a mouthful of chocolate mint ice cream as he watched Janet, mush in the same way as he had the entire time she had attempted to make small talk about the ice cream and her chosen profession as a stylist. "Are you gonna get to the point soon?"

Janet shot him an annoyed look, "No need to be rude about it; I'm just trying to let you know you can relax. I'm not out to get you, and in fact I want to help you."

Parker laughed, "Lady, if you think buying me ice cream is going to sway me, either you take me for a punk kid, or you are a total newbie in the art of manipulation."

Janet frowned and sat back in her chair, "Neither. I think that I don't really have to do anything other than offer you an opportunity to get out of the mess your in; to open the doors for you to get out, so you can become a productive member of society your daughter can be proud of who doesn't have to fear missing his child's first steps because he's in prison."

Parker set the cup down and leveled a dangerous look at Janet, "There you go with those threats again. What makes you think I'll ever get caught, or if I did that I wouldn't find my way free again?"

Janet shook her head, "Parker, I'm trying to give you a hand up, are you at least going to hear me out?" Parker was quiet, simply watching, so Janet took that for consent, "Okay, here's my idea: I am going to give you a job with a salary that will allow you to pay for your girlfriend and daughter to live in comfort, as well as your mother."

Parker gave her a scrutinizing look, "What kind of job might that be?"

Janet smiled, "I want you to work in one of my own personal businesses; you can pick which one."

Parker raised an eyebrow; this was not what he had expected to hear, "Exactly what kind of businesses do you own?"

Janet pulled a few cards from her purse, sliding them across the table toward Parker, "I have a beauty salon, a hair salon, a flower shop, and a number of businesses associated with home decoration and fashion."

Parker's face was openly surprised now, "You mean you want me to work as a freaking hair dresser? You aren't looking to have me rat out one of my gang or use me as a double agent for your Avengers?"

Janet shook her head, "Nuh-uh. My side of the deal is that you quit your gang but nothing more than that, no strings."

Parker gave her a flat look, "What is this, some sort of rehabilitation program your starting out; are you going to try to convince Doctor Doom to give up his ambitions and pursue ballet next?"

Janet scowled, "Look, I don't really have connections anywhere else unless you weren't being sarcastic about joining the Avengers. And no, I obviously can't offer everyone out there this chance. I'm using my own personal resources to extend an opportunity to you, Parker, because I think that you are a good person who had the ill luck of a hard life on the streets."

Parker sneered, "So what is this to you, some charity game that makes you feel better about yourself, or do you have some kind of bet with your fellow Avengers on whether or not you can get me to stoop this low?"

Janet stood, "I told you I wasn't making threats, and I meant it. I won't use anything I've learned about your family against you, but if you turn this offer down then you're making the choice to be a career criminal when you had the opportunity of a lifetime to turn yourself around for the sake of that same family."

Parker gave Janet a hard glare and sat perfectly still as she continued to return his gaze, her own face sympathetic, "Parker, do you accept or not? If you don't I'll walk out of here right now and the next time we meet I'm going to assume that it will be under less friendly circumstances."

Parker sat frozen, torn suddenly by what he had already achieved without needing help and what Janet was offering; a way out of the twisting mess of lies and guilt his life had become. He felt almost as if he had two minds on the matter, and felt far too rushed into what felt like an insult and salvation at the same time.

Janet glanced down sadly and nodded, "Alright, I guess it was a little foolishly optimistic of me to try this; I'll leave you be as I promised. I genuinely wish you good luck, Parker."

She turned to leave and Parker suddenly held out his hand for her to stop as she approached the door to the small shop, "No, wait!"

Parker glared at the phone, as if to try to will it to stop ringing. The obstinate phone refused to give in to his silent wish, however, so he finally answered in exasperation, "Van Dyne Incorporated, how may I direct your call?"

In all of his life, Parker had certainly never seen himself working a straight-laced nine to five as a phone operator. The pay was good as Janet had promised, and true to her word, she had put up the money to make sure that his family was cared for, including his ill mother.

Parker could finally tell Sara what he was doing with his day without feeling like the world's worst boyfriend and father, though he still hadn't told her about Gro. Parker pulled at his hair as he sat in the small office he shared with three other employees, leaning forward as he stared at the floor.

Thinking about Gro made him want to give her a visit, which was a totally thrilling idea in one hand and on the other made him remember his horrible lies to Sara, which was one of the things he was trying to avoid.

She had found a condom of his and the truth about the fact that he was seeing a whore on the side almost came out. Parker had lied up a storm and succeeded at making her feel better, but the whole affair had made him feel like slime.

Parker hadn't gone to see her since taking Janet's offer, and at first he had felt genuinely better about himself, and still did in a way. But something felt off, and now Parker had to wonder if he wasn't just destined to be an asshole.

John glanced over Parker's way as the latter moved to sit down across from him. "I was starting to think you'd given up on me, Park. Shocker took over the gang, claiming seniority and the fact that you've been missing for weeks. What's up with that?"

Parker gave John an irritated but somewhat resigned look. "I'm sure he wouldn't hesitate to give it back, though I don't know if I want all of that anymore.

I just came to see you, cuz, let you know that I'm working legit now."

John did a double take, his usually narrowed eyes widening, "What's gotten into you? We were rolling in dough, Park, why would you give all that up… and what about Masque, you just going to bail on her too?"

Parker's expression hardened as he sought to hide how much estranging himself from Masque stung him, "What about her? I have a girlfriend and a kid,

John; I can't be sleeping around and dodging bullets if I'm going to do the right thing by them."

John surprised him by nodding agreement, "You know, you've always been the one to pull me up when I fell off the wagon, but here I am telling you to get back on it. Sorry, cuz."

Parker gave John a flat look, "That's not how the expression goes, you dumb fuck."

John grunted in annoyance at Parker's patronizing tone but continued his statement, "I think you came here for more than catching up; I think you need someone to tell you you're doing good, and maybe encourage you and stuff like that."

Parker simply gave John a satirical look, and the latter swatted the table in annoyance, "Well, it can't come from me, Parker! I'm losing out big with you doing this shit! With us both in the gang I can get a cut and get back on my feet, but with you going straight I'm back to scrounging little league stuff!"

"Those guys respect you…" Parker caught himself even as he said it, "Okay, those guys are afraid of me; they won't kick you out."

John gave him a pitiful look, "But how am I supposed to pull my weight then? I can't fire fucking laser beams out of my ass!"

Parker smiled as he pulled his duffel bag out and set it on the table. "Good luck, John. If some weird guy starts talking to you and it's driving you nuts, you can always take the cloak off and he shuts up."

John's jaw dropped as he felt the material of the great red cloak inside the bag, his eyes flitting nervously around the bar. "You're just gonna put me in charge, just like that?"

Parker nodded, his smile widening, "Yeah, just remember to practice with them before you piss off anyone who might want to kill you."

Parker put his hands over his face, trying not to think about what he had just done. Gro slept quietly at his side on the bed, and pale moonlight drifted in through the window, illuminating Parker's latest mistake.

He rubbed his temples as the realization that he had now ruined months of trying so very hard to be good to Sara with one wild fuck. Did he simply not have it in him to be loyal and true? No, Parker valued his loyalty to family over everything else… so why was it so hard not to see a whore?

It was worse than that, too. Parker missed being the Hood, and though there were no articles in the paper or on the news talking about what would now be John's doings, Parker found himself resenting giving up the mantle more than a little.

He couldn't just go back to the way to was, though. The whole reason he had started this gig was because Janet had been right, and there were too many reasons stacked against him continuing his old venue.

Also, he had worked too hard to quit now, and the Avengers knew who he was and who he cared about; he felt trapped between what he knew he should do and what he wanted to do. Parker took a deep breath and rolled over to start putting his clothes on.

When things had been at their worst Parker had run here to Gro's place. She was just a whore, knew little about him and cared even less what happened in his life, yet he had come here instead of going to his girlfriend.

Parker stared at the wall as he sat on the edge of the bed. The reason was that he had been lying to her for so long that he didn't feel he could share even a lie that bordered on the truth with her, as he had with Gro. John had been in jail and Parker had been without anyone he could feel honest with.

One of the reasons he was in the dilemma he was in now was because he had been trying to change that; to make it so that he could come clean with Sara. Parker didn't even feel like he could go to John now, though, so maybe he was even worse off than before.

Parker slipped out of Gro's apartment quietly so as not to wake her, and walked the street outside, kicking pieces of asphalt, the sidewalk and random trash as he thought. He pulled his jacket tight against the cool night air and wished he hadn't come here.

Not only did he not feel better, he felt worse, and his sense of helplessness only seemed to grow with each action he did or didn't take. Parker stopped, gazing up at the murky clouds above. He needed someone to talk to who could help him, but whom?

Not Janet. That would only make things uncomfortable if it didn't pan out, with her being his boss and all. Plus he had overheard more than a few conversations between her and her ex, Hank, and Parker had the feeling that she wouldn't handle the truth of his infidelity very well.

Hank was an option, but his ties to Janet made Parker swerve around the idea of trying to confide in him. Also, he didn't know Hank very well, and what he did know pointed to Hank needing help with his own conscience as it was.

Parker frowned; that didn't really leave anyone other than complete strangers, and Parker was loath to hire a shrink. How the fuck is some pampered prick with a degree supposed to know what it was like growing up on the streets?

Then it occurred to him; Parker would talk to Luke Cage! The Avenger who had once been an ex-con could surely understand what Parker had been through, and maybe have some advice.

Also, though Parker would never admit this to anyone, including himself, his choices had alienated him from all the people he cared about, and he was lonely.


	2. Reformation

Luke stared at the slender youth who had addressed him, "Excuse me?"

Parker splayed his hands in greeting, "I'm Parker Robbins. You mean you don't know who I am?"

Luke Cage shook his head, "I've never heard of you, kid, you a fan boy?"

Parker shut his mouth and clenched his teeth, feeling like he had assumed too much. It seemed that Janet had not told all of the other Avengers everything about him, and he was suddenly at risk of revealing the fact that he was on the wrong side of the law to a vigilante.

Parker simply nodded, "Yeah, I figured you might know my name since I run a lot of Luke Cage fan web sites. No big deal…" Parker felt the urge to simply bow out of the conversation and move on, but he fought the feeling, knowing that if he walked away now he wouldn't forgive himself for not trying.

Cage shook his head, "Nah, I appreciate that folks out there have my back, but I don't really have the time to keep up with all the fan mail. You want my autograph or something?"

The way Cage studied him Parker could tell that the other man sensed he was more than just a fan trying to meet his idol, so he dove right in, extending his hand to shake Luke's. "Actually, given your background in life, I thought if I could bother you for just a few minutes for advice…"

Luke leaned back into the leather couch he sat on. After him and Parker had walked a ways and the younger man had begun telling him a halting rendition of his less than admirable choices, Luke had invited the youth to his own place to relax as they spoke.

Cage spoke at last to Parker's account, "You fucked up, but it's more than that, isn't it? You gotta change something in your life so that you're happy with it, cut out the stress that makes you feel like you have to run to this Gro chick. How's your job; it sucks, right?"

Parker perked up, "I didn't say that, I mean, it is great pay, and steady with benefits."

Luke waved his statement off, "Everyone says that; many folks feel stuck where they are and vent their frustrations this way. You have the right idea in wanting to be a better person, Parker, but you need a more tangible goal than simply being a good guy."

Parker gave Cage a curious look, "What do you mean?"

Luke smiled grimly, "You need to find something good you want to do in your life, whether it's marrying your girlfriend or going to college or training to run a marathon, anything. Then you have to nut up and do it."

Parker was confused, "What does this have to do with lying to my girlfriend?"

Cage gave him a knowing look, "You'll like yourself better for one, and start taking pride in your life choices. Also if you get busy enough with it, just maybe you won't find time to go visit a whore."

Parker stared at the floor as he tried to consider what he wanted, "Well, thanks for the help; I'll think about it."

Luke leaned forward and gave him a stern look, "There's more, though. You wanna turn your life around you need to surround yourself with good company; the kind of friends that lift you up rather than tear you down."

Parker frowned, thinking on how his cousin John had been the only friend he had spent any real amount of time with before becoming the 'Hood'. He had a lot of villainous thugs who called him friend now, but that would have to be the 'tearing down' Luke was referring to for sure.

Parker scratched at the stubble on his chin as he thought. John wasn't going to be building anyone up anytime soon. Parker loved his cousin, but the man couldn't keep from tearing himself down, never mind others.

Parker looked up to see that Luke was staring at him in a studious fashion that made him self-conscious. "You ever wanna talk again; you know where I live now." Cage leaned forward over the coffee table and scratched a note on a post-it, which he handed to Parker, "Here's my number, call me even if you just want to hang."

Parker took the note and stared at Cage for a long moment before giving him a smile, "You realize you just handed a fan-boy exclusive stalking privileges, right?"

Cage shook his head, smiling, "I know you aint no fan-boy, unless your just the chilliest mother-fucker on the planet, playing it as cool as you do in front of your supposed idol."

Parker gulped at being caught and nodded, admitting his deception guiltily, "Yeah, sorry, I don't have posters of you on my wall or anything, but I do respect you and everything I've heard about you."

Luke waved it off, "Don't worry about that, you could tell me worse lies." Luke's expression became serious, "But I'd rather if we kept it straight from here on… sound fair?"

Parker nodded and stood, suddenly feeling too awkward to stay. "Okay, uh, I should head out, then."

Cage nodded, "Till next time."

A few months later Parker had seen Cage a few more times, mostly to discuss unimportant things and catch up on how Parker was doing with his girlfriend and child. Today Cage had called him, asking to meet at a Mediterranean restaurant.

Parker met him there, curious what news had prompted the meeting. Cage clapped him on the shoulder as they greeted and as they sat down he started telling Parker what was on his mind, "It seems that every time we talked about your job, I got the feeling that you hated it."

Parker shrugged, "I can't really complain. I sit on my ass all day routing calls, it's not glorious or fun but it pays the bills and I don't wanna be a bitch about it when I suppose I could be shoveling shit or something."

Luke nodded, giving him a smile, "Well I learned that you work for Van Dyne, which doesn't seem to suit your particular tastes at all."

Parker gave him a sharp look, "How the hell did you know that, did Janet tell you?"

Cage's eyebrows shot up, "Janet hired you personally? No, she didn't, and if I had known she had I would have dropped a word for you with Tony without doing the background check bullshit."

Parker's face betrayed annoyance, "Background? I wasn't looking to be hired so… wait, Tony? You mean Tony Stark don't you?"

Luke's smile widened and he nodded again, "Yeah, you're a smart kid with ambition, I'm sure he could use you."

Parker held up a hand palm forward, "Whoa, wait a second, I'm no brainiac; I'm not cut out to be some lab monkey in Stark Enterprises."

Luke laughed, "Yeah, I'm not talking about putting you on the science team; the idea was more Avengers oriented. How would you like the boring job of listening to broadband radio and handling our communication tech? At least you won't be dealing with irate old ladies most of the time."

Parker couldn't believe what he was hearing and suddenly wondered what would happen when Janet told Luke that he was the Hood. "You want me to be part of the team?"

Luke laughed again, "Yes and no; you'll be helping us in a way that allows us to do what we do, but you'll never really be involved in the action. Whether or not that's a perk is up to the person, but Tony figured it was an opportunity for you."

Parker raised an eyebrow, "You told Tony about me?"

Luke sighed in mock exasperation, "Only that you needed something more exciting and that you were a bright kid. Are you gonna take the job or are you gonna give me the twenty; you trust me, right?"

Parker sighed and nodded, "Alright, thanks, Luke." His inner thoughts could only turn to how bad this might turn out if someone found out about him and became 'sensitive' over some of the things he had done as the Hood. "I'm sure it'll be great."

Nearly a year had passed since Parker had seen Gro, and though he missed the excitement of her caress, or the strange caress of any unknown beautiful woman, for that matter, he felt he had stepped into a new stage of maturity, if only perhaps to be a better father.

His stress also receded dramatically, and Parker came to realize that a lot of it was in fact brought on by the web of lies he constantly supported, added to and worried over. Not that Parker was done dreading his past; after all, he had never told Sara about the things he had once done.

Concerning his past as the Hood, though, either Janet had not bothered to tell anyone (which he found highly unlikely) or they simply didn't care. After getting to know them all a little better, he decided that the latter could be possible with this group.

Clint dropped by occasionally just to shoot the shit, and he and Parker became friends almost immediately. It was like they shared the same sense of humor, and when Parker learned that Clint had also been an ex-con before joining the Avengers, he had realized they had even more in common than he had realized.

Steve had dropped by the first time he started and periodically since to see how things went. Parker thought he was a strange man, but once he learned about the era gap things started to make more sense. In retrospect, Parker had to think that Steve had adapted well, considering.

Still, Parker didn't feel comfortable around him, as if the Avenger might suddenly see him for what he really was. For this reason too he was glad that Thor never showed up at all. If he really had godlike powers and wasn't just a crazier version of his idol Electro, Parker's feeling that he was a villain amidst heroes would only double.

Of course that balanced out when he met Login by sheer chance at a bar, having a drink alone. A short conversation later and Parker felt like he suddenly had a shot at being an Avenger himself. After all, if they let that man in…

Not that Parker was interested in being an Avenger, especially without the powers of the cloak he had given up. As he thought about that cloak a flash of red caught the corner of his eye and Parker glanced up to see image of his mind's eye stood across from him, like a crimson specter.

Parker jumped a little. He was in the apartment that the pay Tony supplied him with afforded; a nice flat overlooking the city. Sara and the baby were out grocery shopping, so no one else was there to hear him speak, "John?"

The hooded figure stepped forward and for a second, Parker was convinced that this person who strode with such confidence was certainly not his cousin.

Then he pulled his hood back, though, and John's face beamed a smile at him.

Parker stood from the reclining sofa chair he had been sitting in and gave his cousin a hug, the two men patting each other on the back boisterously in good cheer. Parker held him at arm's length by the shoulders, a large smile on his face, "Dammit, cuz, why no phone calls? For all I knew you could've been dead!"

John shrugged, "You know how it is, I got a little swamped with trying to get back into the group and all…"

Parker patted John on the back, "Well, you're alive and well, so you must be leading them well!"

John scratched the back of his neck, staring down so as not to meet Parker's eyes, "Well, about that…"

Parker's mouth quirked, "You couldn't get leadership back from Shocker, right? Don't fret it, all that's important is your health when it comes down to it, and you don't have to be in charge to pull some money for yourself, what with your powers and all."

John moped again, his feet shuffling the floor, "Yeah, but I've been doing things more solo lately…"

Parker paused and stared at John for a few tense seconds before giving John a side-ways look, "You fucking bitch, you didn't even go back to them, did you?"

John gave him a sharp glance, "I figured I don't need a fucking club, okay? You weren't in anymore, so why waste my efforts on a bunch of assholes like them?"

Parker sat back down, covering his face with his hand as he closed his eyes, "More like you were afraid you wouldn't be able to hang with those 'assholes' cause you're a bitch. You realize the 'effort' you saved yourself from is the one that gives you a 'get out of jail free' card?"

John frowned, "Yeah, I know that was the idea of it when you put them together, but who knows if Shocker's following? My problem isn't that, actually, you see, my problem is they have a couple people that somehow found me, and…"

Parked scoffed, "And they want you to either join the gang or pay up for doing their city. What have you been using your powers for, John, stealing purses and robbing seven elevens?"

John was quiet a moment, looking miserable, then he snapped, "Okay, so I never had fucking big plans, okay? I just want to live comfortable and not have to deal with thugs easing up into my game."

Parker held his hands up, "Well, you could always hang it up, John."

John gave Parker a scorching look, "Bullshit. I understand you got a kid, Park, but I can't let this ride pass me by."

Parker shrugged, "That's your choice, cuz. I can't say I don't understand, it's just that we both know that's not my thing anymore. Now I'm sure it hasn't just passed you by that I'm actually working in the freaking Avenger's mansion…"

John gave an irritated shrug, "So, why does that affect anything? You think family shouldn't…"

Parker held up a hand, "Not at all, but I know you and I know where this conversation is going…"

They stared at each other a long moment, and John held his hands together plaintively, "Please, Park, you gotta help me! I don't even know what to say to these creeps! You got them figured out; just tell me what I should do!"

Parker grabbed a fistful of his own hair as he let out a frustrated sound, "Dammit, John! I just told you, I work right under the noses of a large group of vigilantes; I work for them! You want me to run a goddamn cartel?"

John splayed his arms open hopelessly, "C'mon, Park, I got no one else to turn to, and I just need advice; you don't have to talk to me unless you feel safe about it."

Parker sighed, relaxing into his chair. "Look, fine, but you can't be coming to me, even if you can go invisible. Call me when you wanna meet, and then meet me where I tell you to go, no exceptions."

John smiled widely and clasped his hands together happily, "Thanks, cuz, you're a life saver, literally."

Parker frowned, "I know; if it wasn't for the fact that I know you'll get your pathetic ass killed without me, I wouldn't bother. Just do me a favor and try not to be such a douche, okay?"

Time passed and Parker would have forgotten that he secretly aided a criminal group, as busy as he became in his work for Tony. The Avenger had asked

Parker to start handling some PR work for the group, offering a substantial raise, and Parker soon had trouble finding time for anything other than work.

Except that it seemed that at least a few times a week, his cousin called or texted him urgently concerning some decision he had to make as the Hood.

Parker threw his coat against the rack as he moved to sit down at the small diner he had agreed to meet John in.

The other came without his cloak, and Parker wasn't sure, but he looked more stooped and weary than ever without it. As John sat he jumped right to business, angry, "I hope you know I had to look very unprofessional putting the vice-president on hold just to answer your damned summons, prick."

John's eyes widened, "You got that kinda clout? Maybe we can…"

Parker sensed where his cousin was going with this and nipped it in the bud, "Not me; my boss, Tony Stark. Look, you need to stop calling for 'emergency meetings' unless it's really something life or death."

John nodded, "It is! These assholes are gonna string me up if I can't find a way to deal with us losing so many of our crew to the joint in one swipe and the fact that we have more burgeoning wannabe vigilante pricks in the city than ever before. Park, they say we don't have the manpower to break ours out again and…"

Parker held up a hand, "Cuz listen to me. Your crew has to always focus immediately on releasing its members, or you have no crew. Stop getting so stressed about this shit and learn to tell these jocks that you'll get back to them and consult me when I'm off work."

John started to protest, but Parker held up his hand again and shook his head no, "You can turn fucking invisible, dipshit, don't ever feel like you can't break out of conversation. Not like they don't expect you to be rude… on that note; exactly how much do you think they respect you now?"

John scratched the back of his head, looking at the table, "Well, I think some of them suspect I'm not you, that's for sure, and a couple of them have gotten more than a little lippy, but how much should I even take before I start shooting people, y'know?"

Parker sighed and leaned back before putting his forehead on the table in despair. "Okay, we need to talk about boundaries and what you can accept, dumbass…"

Parker was at home, watching television with his girlfriend and baby girl when he noticed the flash of red outside of his house. He handed Briana to Sara and claimed that he was going to use the restroom, and then slipped outside.

Parker approached the now clearly visible form of the cloaked figure standing off in the shadows of his patio. "John, what the hell, man," Parker strode up to him, "I told you never to come here, especially not wearing that get-up. Are you out of your fucking mind?"

A set of red orbs fixed on Parker from underneath the cowl and he froze, suddenly aware that something was off. A voice like his cousins but infinitely deeper responded instead, "John isn't here right now, Parker. He tried to subvert me by doffing the cloak as you suggested, but since he is nothing without it, I have easily swayed his weak mind."

Parker gulped, feeling a hard knot of fear in his gut, "You're the voice that was trying to sweet-talk me earlier… what are you, some kind of demon? And why fuck with John?"

The creature who wore John's body moved closer, and Parker felt as if his bones were chilled and his skin was on fire by its mere proximity. "I am no mere demon, and I would far prefer to deal with you than this sorry excuse of a man."

Parker licked his lips and sat on a patio chair, glancing nervously back to see if Sara would come to investigate. "I, uh, told you before; I'm a one-man gig.

I'm definitely not interested in being possessed or whatever you're doing with John, and I'm telling you you're wasting your time with him."

Irritation crossed John's hooded features and he scowled, "You are the one wasting my time, mortal. It was you that was chosen to bond with the cloak, and you aborted the process…" the creature smiled darkly, "…putting your cousin in danger."

Parker felt trapped, a creeping realization of how badly he had messed up dawning on him at the same time as the realization that this demon had come to blackmail him, "So what, I take the cloak back and you let John go?"

John laughed in a way that would give hardened killers frightening nightmares, "Fool, you had your chance to be a willing acolyte. I shall make an example first of this John, since he is close to your heart, and you will make better choices in the future."

Parker rocked up to his feet, his face contorted in horror, "No!"

But just like that, the specter of his cousin was gone, only the empty night air greeting his resounding cry. Sara opened the patio door, "Parker, babe, are you okay?"

Parker looked over at her and managed a pale smile, "Yeah sure, everything's fine…"

Parker couldn't focus on his work the next day, calling in sick and telling Tony that he just wanted to spend the day resting. "Sure, Parker, I can have Pepper take care of you share of the PR stuff scheduled for today. You know, I hear Reed Richards came up with a prototype cure for the common cold if you want to try it out?"

Parker blanched at the thought, trying to make his voice sound reasonably hoarse as he replied, "No way! That stuff would probably make me grow tits or something; I'd rather suffer a cold than be a test subject for any drug."

An hour later Parker insisted he go to the store for meds despite Sara's admonition that she should go while he get some bed rest. Instead of going to the store though Parker sped down to the two-story building that served as the headquarters for their gang.

He hesitated outside, knowing that few knew what he looked like without the crimson hood and cloak that marked him as leader of the group. The thought of anything happening to John, and worse that it was his fault for giving his cousin the damned cloak overrode his caution and he went in.

Parker moved silently and carefully through the dilapidated building, his eyes taking in the complete stillness of the place. Of course, it was daytime, and many of those who called the house home slept during these hours. Still, too quiet, thought Parker.

As he entered the largest room in the building Parker took in the lack of table and chairs, and he stared in surprise. "It's empty…"  
>"Not entirely." A voice responded from behind him, but before Parker could turn to see who had spoken something heavy and hard struck his skull, and his world went black.<p>

"Do you think he's dead?"

"No, moron, I can see im breathin."

Parker groaned as he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes blearily to see a short heavy-set man and a tall thin man watching him. "See," the short one turned to the tall one, pointing a stubby finger at Parker, "He aint dead."

Parker squinted at them, not recognizing either. He tried to move his arms but found that they and his legs were bound to a chair he now sat in. "Who are you?"

The thin man shook his head, "No, motherfucker, you came inta our house, who the fuck are you?"

Parker blinked as he thought on what to say, taking in the ratty clothing that both men wore and their odor, which he could smell from across the room.

"Okay, maybe that doesn't matter; I don't think you're who I was looking for. I was trying to find my cousin, and either I came into the wrong house, or he moved."

The short man laughed, "Nobody's actually lived here for years, asshole, so your story don't add up. You better tell me the truth or Lefty here is gonna fuck you up."

True to the fat man's word, 'Lefty' palmed a set of brass knuckles from his own baggy pants and slipped them over his fist menacingly. Parker found it ironic that it was his right hand. "You lookin to loot us, kid, or you thinking of setting up shop here?"

Lefty belted Parker across the cheek, and bright lights flashed across his vision as he bit back the pain. "You usually hit people before you hear the answer?"

That elicited another agonizing blow to the face, and the thick man added his own question, "You sellin? If you are best say now. Your duds are too nice to think you're just lookin for a place to sleep."

Parker spat blood and glared at the man hitting him, "I'm not selling, so no there are no drugs for you to steal from me. I'm looking for my cousin John King."

Both men perked up, and the short one gave him a discerning stare, "Then what's your name, son?"

Parker gave him a bloody smile, "Parker Robbins. What, now you realize what pricks you've been?"

Lefty raised his fist but the other man stepped forward and shrugged the arm aside, "Yeah, we've shared a few awnings with your cuz; he's unable to hold his liquor and dumb as a rock, but he's not bad people."

Lefty glared at his partner a moment then sighed, leaning forward to untie Parker, "Okay, I'll admit that not everyone's gonna know about our washed up John King."

Parker massaged his jaw as he looked at one man then the other, "Do you know where he might have gone from here, then?"

Both men shook their heads, and Lefty shrugged, "We didn't even know he was ever holed up here. It's a hell of a nice place to do so, but the thugs that was here afore only just moved out this week."

Parker nodded, and then snatched Lefty by the back of his head, slamming the taller man head first into the chair as his other hand retrieved the pistol from Lefty's pants. Parker pulled the hammer back as he pointed the weapon at Lefty's temple and both men froze, the short man still halfway out of his chair.

Parker took a deep breath and spoke in even tones, "Don't ever touch me again or I kill you, and don't steal a man's gun just to stick it in your fucking pants. The safety was still off; you could've blown your own sack open."

Lefty nodded slowly, otherwise still as the grave, as did his compatriot. The thick man licked his lips and spoke hesitantly, "We didn't mean real harm; we was just afraid you was gonna turn this into a crack house or somethin."

Parker grunted and pushed Lefty over, the other man landing on his back to stare with wide eyes full of fear. "Well next time you think to hit first and ask questions with fucking brass knuckles later, remember this." Parker unloaded a round into Lefty's leg and left as the man began to cry out in pain.


	3. Recrimination

Parker continued to rub at his battered face as he left the building, his eyes wandering hopelessly down the street. He was certainly worse off than before now, this he realized as he glanced at his watch; hours had passed and Sara would be past worried about him by now.

He had no idea where John, or maybe the demon that possessed his cousin, had taken the entire gang. Since Parker wasn't a member of the secret group and hadn't been for some time, that put his ability to find out where they had moved somewhere in the range of negligible.

As he returned home Parker ranged from abject misery over his failure to think about the implications of tossing the demon artifact on to his cousin to horrible worry over what might have befallen his own blood on account of his own selfish actions.

He had wanted to be rid of the cloak and all the demons it represented both literal and figurative, and he hadn't thought twice about what that would mean to John. Parker paused and slammed his hand into a brick wall in frustration, unmindful of the blossoming pain.

Trying to get his breathing under control, Parker allowed his mind to be occupied with what he would tell Sara had happened here…

Parker told Sara what had happened, merely changing the location that the homeless men had assaulted him to the alley outside of the drug store. He lied that he had stolen one of the men's guns, using the story as an easy way to keep the weapon. No more hiding it in the toilet tank.

With his face bruised and one eye swollen shut, plus his bleeding hand, it wasn't hard to convince Sara to let him keep the sidearm in case something similar happened in the future, though she was concerned about keeping a gun in the house with the baby.

Parker felt a pang of guilt and eased her mind, "I'll get one of those gun cases with a lock on it for when I don't have it on me."

Later at work Parker had to deal with the unexpected visitation of every Avenger who called the mansion home. He mentally face-palmed as he realized that he had chosen to go with a mugging story when every vigilante there stopped by to wish him recovery and ask details so that they could hunt down the evil men who had hurt one of their own.

Alone at last toward the end of the day and finally caught up on phone calls (ironic, as he had taken this job to get away from phone work) Parker sat in contemplation of the fact that these people felt him to be one of them. He certainly didn't feel like a hero, and every time he told Wolverine where he had been mugged, he had gotten the sense that the other man had known he was lying.

If that didn't make him feel like shit, having the genuine concern of pretty much everyone drove the nail into the proverbial coffin. Parker sighed and tried to put it out of his mind. Instead he turned his thoughts to what he would need to do to make things right again.

The only way he was going to find out where John went was going to be to talk to or follow one of the other members of the gang, and that could only happen after one of them had committed a crime so he would know where to start. Fortunately for Parker, his job meant he did nothing but monitor police dispatch, as well as more advanced gear that Tony had built that Parker didn't understand but which somehow predicted criminal movements.

All that was left was to sit back and wait. Parker sat in the dark long after he could have gone home, listening to the radio noise; waiting had never been so hard.

Time passed, and each day that went by marked itself with worry and regret for Parker. It had not occurred to him that he had personally made his group this efficient; they never stayed at a crime scene long enough for the police to respond, and even Tony's advanced gear was too slow for their strikes.

Months passed, and the slow grind of time might have increased the hopeless feeling and desperation in Parker's soul, but he learned to deal with it by focusing completely on the task of listening intently to his equipment for any sign of activity.

Many times he would stay until he fell asleep on his console, and he constantly assured Sara that he was just putting in long hours for the overtime, despite her objections that they didn't need the money that badly.

Before Parker knew it everyone around him was happily decorating the mansion with the bright greens and reds of Christmas. He watched as Avengers and the other staff worked to erect holly and wreaths and before he knew it he had a cordial invitation to attend a party with the others.

"No way, we would stick out in a group full of crazies that dress up in spandex costumes." Parker wore an irritable frown as he stated this.

Sara gave him a reproachful look, "Don't be such a grump; they are your friends and you'd be an awful father to keep your baby away from that huge glittering tree you were telling me about."

Parker raised an eyebrow at her, "And I'm sure the free food and rich atmosphere don't sway you at all."

Sara swatted his arm playfully, "You know I've always wanted to go to one of these ritzy ball things! Stop being such a jerk and treat your ladies right!"

Parker gave her a brooding look, "Fine."

Tony spared no expense in making the grand ballroom of the Avenger's mansion sing with a myriad colored lights and a live band that played soothing Christmas jazz music. People of all background filled the place, as the families of every Avenger and their friends talked, danced and joked among themselves.

Parker looked around, a little awed despite having spent so long under Tony's employ. He had never had any reason to be in this particular room, and its vastness would astonish anyone. He watched as celebrities mingling with politicians and delegates from other countries who flew in just to attend Tony's esteemed party.

The oddest thing Parker found about it though was that persons dressed in full dress suits hobnobbed with obviously less well-off persons in simpler pants and t-shirt, and no one thought out of place. Parker supposed that with the costumed people walking around, nothing else could really seem weird.

The centerpiece of the entire event though was the enormous tree that dominated the center of the room, its rich display of glowing lights and reflecting ornaments a sight to behold. Parker took Briana and Sara over to it and the three of them stared up at in in quiet wonder.

Everyone came by to greet Parker, absolutely everyone; the Avengers to a man, and their friends and families, tons of people Parker didn't even know talking to him as if he were an old friend. Parker spoke at length to both Clint and Luke, but otherwise remained aloof, letting Briana play with the other children as he sat at the bar having a drink.

Sara approached him shortly after he sat, "What's wrong, Parker?"

Parker shrugged, "Nothing, I'm fine."

Sara shook her head, "You're moping; I know that look when I see it. What's bothering you?"

Parker waved off the notion, "Nothing's bothering me; I, uh, just don't feel well. Maybe it was something I ate last night."

Sara raised an eyebrow as her eyes tracked the glass in his hand, "And you're going to settle your stomach with bourbon?"

Parker smiled winningly, "Solves all illnesses according to my family; you know dad, he believed a scotch could fix any malady."

Sara's smile was tainted by a bit of worried frown, "Well, I hope you don't pick up too many of your father's sayings, seeing what I've heard so far."

Parker nodded assent, "Yeah, I'll stop at two."

Sara smiled and kissed his cheek, then moved on to seek new friends. Parker watched her with a sad smile, hating that he couldn't just tell her the truth.

The reason he was so despondent was the same as always lately, with the twist that John wouldn't be sharing the holiday with him, likely because he was in one form or the other dead.

Parker jumped to a strong hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Steve Rogers had snuck up on him. Steve gave him a nod and sat on the stool next to his. "Your daughter is a handful! It never ceases to amaze what energy children have, does it?"

Parker nodded, smiling wanly, "Yeah, you especially enjoy it when it comes to bedtime."

Steve laughed, "Well, life is full of its mixed blessings. Before you know it she'll be moving out and you'll wonder where the baby went."

Parker glanced over at Steve, "You've had kids, Captain?"

Steve shook his head while waving away the title, "Please, call me Steve, and no, I have just had the pleasure of listening to the accounts of close friends and my own observations. I don't know if raising kids is something I would want to do in this line of work."

Parker nodded, somehow having known Steve would say that. He sipped at his drink, wondering when Steve would wander away and leave him to his thoughts, but when he looked over again, the other man was watching him intently, "Something wrong?"

Steve shook his head, "I hope not! It's Christmas, everyone should be happy on this holiday… so why do you look so blue over here by yourself?"

Parker grunted, a little annoyed; his girlfriend he had expected to pick up on his despondency, but Captain Care-bear he could do without. "It's nothing, just feeling a little ill. I'm sure it'll blow over by tomorrow."

Parker had looked away as he spoke, but when he glanced over at Steve, he saw the other man had a curious expression on his face, "Well, I hope you feel better soon, then."

Parker nodded, letting his eyes set on Briana who was playing on a mat set out for the smallest children. She smashed blocks together as another little girl did the same next to her and they both laughed. Parker smiled, feeling a little better already.

Later on they exchanged presents, Parker feeling a little disjointed by his rather small donation to the huge table laden with gifts. He shrugged to himself as he placed his offerings there; this was Tony's party, after all, and he hazarded the guess that most of the presents were from him.

Sure enough, Tony had bought most of the gifts, but Parker noticed that most everyone else had gotten everyone else something, even if it was something small, or a gag, like the plethora of combs that a begrudging Login received.

Parker was amazed to see that almost every avenger had gotten him a gift, and even more amazing was that the gifts he received were things that he had spoken of in the past. They were mostly small gifts; like a watch, likely because he was often late to work and claimed it was because he lost track of time, thank-you Tony.

He also received a belt, which he knew without asking that Janet had gotten him, since she had complained that his pants were too loose and disdained seeing his underwear. There were also many gifts for the baby, among them things he had mentioned she had broken at home to Luke.

One gift caught his eye, though, as it looked far too large considering he still didn't know these people that well. No one had a card on it, and Parker opened the brightly wrapped box with growing curiosity. Inside laid a brand new electric piano.

Parker glanced around at all of those present, boggled by the gift. He had never mentioned that he played the piano to even one of these people, was it just a lucky guess? No, the fact that his own keyboard had died was a fact that he also hadn't shared, and it was far too much of a coincidence to overlook.

Parker threw a look sideways at Sara and saw the guilt there immediately, "Okay, so who did you tell that I play the electric piano to?" He smiled, "You know you're hurting my man's man reputation, right?"

Clint stepped in on her behalf, smiling, "Okay, I admit I badgered your wife shamelessly to tell me what you would like for Christmas."

Parker looked at her again, a little astonished, "You told him to get me a keyboard? These things are expensive!"

Sara shook her head vehemently, "No! I told Clint a long list of things you might like and he just chose the biggest one!"

Clint laughed at Parker's expression, "Don't sweat it buddy; I think if you can jam on one of these things it's the least I can do to help. If you really want to make it up to me buy me another drink."

Janet piped in at that, "Or he can give you the one he has, since he's underage anyways."

A few people laughed and Parker gave her scowl an annoyed look, then handed the beverage over to Clint, "Yes, mom."

That evoked more laughter and Parker found himself smiling again.

It happened too fast for Parker to respond. Over and over again for months he had told himself what to do and prepared for the night that it happened.

But when he finally picked up the broadband message that one of the Hood's crew had moved into his radar it was already over.

A large portion of the gang had been captured and put into custody by a concerted effort on the part of the Avengers, and suddenly Parker wished he had tried to talk to them or spied on them or something, so that he would have been aware of what was going to happen.

Parker rushed to the scene, which was actually the Raft; a high security prison for powerful criminals, whether mutant or meta-human or mystical. Parker could only assume that they had come here to liberate their colleagues, as was the way his gang was operated.

The Raft was incredibly secure to begin with, though, and the Avengers being aware of the attempt pushed the gang's chances of not simply being added to its prisoners in a marginal level. Likely a rat had tipped the authorities or the vigilantes and spelled doom for the attempt.

Parker moved over to where he saw Janet speaking with a few men in uniform. Those men tensed when they saw Parker walking up, and Janet motioned for them to relax. She turned to him, her face neutral, "What is it, Parker?"

Parker nodded to her, "I, uh, figured I'd come down and figure out what happened, since what I could pick up back at the mansion was kinda blotchy. I see that you guys already knew about it, though; did you catch them?"

Janet said goodbye to the other men then walked a short distance away before turning to face Parker with serious eyes, "You're not fooling anyone,

Parker. Now tell me why you really came."

Parker frowned deeply, "One of the guys in that gang is still family, okay? I just want to make sure he isn't hurt." He knew that what she knew about him blew his innocent bystander facade out of the water, so Parker figured he might as well tell her some of the truth.

Janet nodded, relaxing visibly, "Yes, I know John King is your cousin, and yes he is healthy and safe. Steven Strange figured out how to track the cloak that gives him his powers."

Parker froze, watching how Janet carefully studied him, "Then you knew…"

Janet nodded again, "I know that you gave John your cloak; an incredibly stupid move that I wasn't sure of until just now, but we can talk about it later.

For now just turn around and leave, okay Parker?"

Parker bit his tongue, caught in a whirlpool of mixed emotions, "I-I can't just leave him like this, there are some things Steven should know about that cloak."

Janet watched him a moment more, then sighed, "Fine, Parker; you can talk to Steven, but don't think that I'm going to let you get anywhere near any of the members of that gang or the cloak."

Parker scowled at her, "What, you don't trust me? After all this time, you think that way about me?"

Janet shook her head, "It's not that simple, just be happy I'm fighting my better judgment because I do trust you and am letting you stay here to talk to Steven. Don't make me regret this, Parker."

After a long discussion with Steven about the nature of the cloak, Parker realized that he hadn't known anything at all about it. Apparently, the garment had been enchanted by a very powerful demon named Dormammu, and all of its mystical might had been designed to spy on the denizens of the earth.

Steven was intrigued as to how Parker knew what he did about the cloak and he glanced over at Janet, knowing he would have to tell the truth.

Suddenly, Parker felt as if everyone was going to know about it, and he stared at the floor, "Because I've used it before."

Of course, Steven wouldn't let it go at that, and Parker was forced to answer one question after another, feeling more and more annoyed that his mission to help John had turned into him revealing all of his deeply buried secrets to this man he didn't even know.

Finally Parker snapped, "Okay, Janet, you've heard everything Steven here has said about the cloak. Now what you should also know is that I've seen John since I gave up the Hood. Parker went on to tell them about how Dormammu had taken over John's body completely and that the reason that he had been monitoring the radio so much lately was to try and find him.

Steven stared at him in shock, "Why didn't you tell us about this? We could have found him a long time ago."

Janet gave Parker a severe look but put a hand on Steven's shoulder, "He must have been worried, correctly, that his cousin would be going to jail. Come on, Steven, we need to tell this to the others."

Parker stood up suddenly as they turned to leave, "You're just going to throw him in prison when you know he wasn't in control of himself?"

Janet gave Parker a stern look, "Parker, you're getting carried away, alright? You need to step back from this…"

Parker's face became a mask of fury as he shouted at both of them, "I thought you were supposed to help people! No one needs help more than my cuz and you…" Parker turned his baleful stare on Steven, "You know better than to condemn a man for what his did under the spell of this Darma-face or whatever the hell his name is."

Steven gave Parker a scrupulous look then glanced at Janet, who folded her arms over her chest. "Well, I can't vouch for your cousin, Mister Robbins, and I don't think anyone else of us can… would you say his record was unblemished?"

Parker glared still but faltered a little, "Yeah, well…"

Steven nodded, "Yes, I see. You can understand then that we have to approach this in the manner we do because if you have reticence about his choices than we also must assume that he should be handled carefully."

Parker shook his head, "That's not fair! They'll throw him into prison without even giving him a chance… he can't afford any fancy lawyers and his record will doom him!"

Janet shook her head in turn, "Then John's past has injured him; we can't do anything for him there. I can see about getting him a good lawyer, though…"

Parker slammed his hand into the table at his side, rattling its contents in his anger. "You assholes are all the fucking same! It's the same self-righteous bullshit you're spitting now that's gonna sink my cuz into the hole for life. Thanks for nothing!"

Parker pushed past a startled Steven and stormed out of the building, not stopping until he reached the street outside of Steven's home. Parker wasn't sure what he had thought he was going to do. He was powerless to help his cousin, and the fact that he was helpless to fix the damage he had done was the worst thing he had ever felt.

Parker walked away from it all, both the two Avengers he had argued with and everything he had done up until now. What was the point of any of it, after all? Why bother to continue trying to change himself if all he had worked to do was to hurt someone he cared about and still feel like an outsider?

Parker walked until his feet were sore then he continued to walk. He walked until the sun came up and he no longer tracked where he was. His phone rang and he threw it into the sewer, and then continued to walk down the crowded streets. He walked until the streets were no longer crowded and then he paused, the soreness in his legs finally making him consider rest.

Parker looked up dully, noticing he happened to stand outside a small bar that stood at the outskirts of the city, where to travel further would put him into the ocean surrounding the city. Parker thought it fitting that his journey should end here, and went in to get himself a drink.

Parker looked up from where he had been resting his head on his arms to see Steve Rogers had come into the bar and now sat next to him. He grunted, then laid his head back down, "You gonna chase me around every time I have a drink? You know, I'm twenty now, and that's close enough…"

Steve waved off the comment, shaking his head, "Nah, you're old enough to be married and die for your country; who am I to tell you whether you can drink?"

Parker looked up at Steve's smiling face, a little surprised. "Seriously? The guy who mothers tell their children to be more like is telling me I can drink underage… that's awesome."

Steve laughed, "Well, I didn't say I condone it; I just said I won't make that choice for you. I think from what I've seen of you that you're usually the type of mature person I'd be comfortable drinking with."

Parked furrowed his brow, "Usually?"

Steve nodded, "Yes, I think that lately your choices might have been less than wise."

Parker glared at Steve and took his mug of beer, taking a long pull on it before laying his head down again. "I'm sure you'd feel that way. Go the fuck away."

Steve sighed and leaned against the counter, "People have blown my reputation up so much that it can be hard for me to relate to others who don't know me yet, but I can assure you that I've messed up plenty in my own past and I can guess what you're going through."

Parker lifted his head up enough to shoot Steve a baleful look, "You wouldn't have a clue what I've dealt with on a daily basis surviving on the streets; quite frankly, Steve, your shit smells like roses and everyone you've met has done nothing but go out of their way to make your life easier."

Steve frowned at Parker, "Young man, I grew up during the Great Depression, and while I may not have lived through your experiences, I can understand struggle. I fell into glory as Captain America, and all of the hype that came with it, but before that I earned the respect I got with hard work. I went to extremes just to prove I had the mettle to serve my country."

Parker rasped at Steve, getting a glare in return, "Oh no, they wouldn't let me go die for some greedy assholes in office! You're a soldier, which puts you into the spectrum of retards I try not to be like. Okay, you were poor, but how many times did your neighbors pull knives on you? I bet if they had, you would have realized that you have to look after yourself more."

Steve sat up slowly, seeming to collect his thoughts, "All right, I see that you have had too much to drink and are rambling a bit. Perhaps we can continue this conversation tomorrow. Why don't you let me give you a ride back to your home?"

Parker leveled Steve with an angry stare, "How the hell did you find me anyways?"

Steve waved back toward the door, "I didn't have much to go on but the direction you left Steven's from, but it seems you didn't waver from it. So would you like to go home and get some rest?"

Parker frowned, wishing he had thrown a few turns into his march away from Janet. "I'd like you to get the fuck out of my life; I'm not some troubled kid you need to follow around and harass with your philosophy on life."

Steve met his obstinate look and shook his head, "What about Sara and Briana, are you just going to stay out drinking and make them worry?"

Parker grunted, pushing his glass along the counter toward the bartender, who was busy staring at Steve like he might be starting to recognize who he was. "Give me another one."

Steve wouldn't let his question go unanswered, though. "I said, what about your family, Parker? I know you're troubled, I could tell that back at the Christmas party and before that even. But is it important enough to hurt those you love?"

Parker wouldn't look at him, "I hurt the people closest to me no matter what I do." He glanced down, "I think after I get wasted drunk I'm going to go downtown and fuck a whore…" He glanced at Steve, "…then I'm going to do coke until I forget why I went down there."

Steve looked shocked at the honesty in his face when he had said that and Parker laughed at his perceived naiveté. Then Steve's brow came down into a hard look, his jaw set as he nodded, "Okay, then. I see I was wrong to let you keep drinking…"

Parker waved him off, "I'm not even drunk yet, just wait around if you wanna see just how 'depraved' the man is that you thought so worth badgering."

Steve continued his statement regardless, "…but it is clear that you have lost you damned mind. So I'm going to take you back now, because despite how foolish the things you are saying are, I don't think you really want to make these further mistakes."

Parker sighed at him, "I've already told you, I'm not going anywhere with… hey, what are you doing?" Parker looked up annoyed as Steve hauled him to his feet by the arm.

Steve merely set a few bills on the counter as he pulled Parker away from his seat. He turned to the door and literally dragged the other man along with him, Parker realizing now how strong Steve actually was, as the younger man's best efforts were to graze the floor with his feet. "I'm taking you to the Avenger's mansion."

Parker gave him a dour look, "What the hell for? You wanna tell Janet what a mistake I am, that you can't reform a crook?"

Steve gave Parker a surprised look, "A crook? Well, we can talk about that when we get back all you like, because the reason I'm taking you there is so that you can sleep this off and then we can have our talk."

Parker struggled but only end up looking silly flailing in Steve's strong arms, "I'm done fucking talking! Let me go you asshole!"

Parker drew back and slammed his fist into Steve's face, the latter giving him a sad look but not stopping his course, nor showing that the blow had done any real damage. Steve pushed him into his car and then got into the front seat.

Parker pulled on the handle but the door wouldn't open, "You drive a fucking cop car?"

Steve shrugged from where he sat, and Parker could see that bulletproof glass separated them, just like in a police vehicle, even if this glass was harder to see, so clear it was. "I've found it useful in my line of work."

Parker sneered, "Which is bullying people around, it seems. You've got no right to push me like this, motherfucker."

Steve shrugged again, "Maybe not, but I like you and your family, Parker, and I want to see you get your head straight."

Parker leaned back and gave Steve a cold look in the review mirror, "And what exactly are you planning to do, lock me up in the mansion? Locking people up seems to be you guys' answer to anything you can't handle."

Steve shook his head, "Not exactly. You'll see…"


	4. Ramification

The rest of the drive was quiet as Parker soundlessly seethed in the back seat of the car. The trip back the Avenger's mansion took longer than it had to,

Parker noticing that Steve seemed to be taking his time on the return trip.

Steve glanced into his review mirror to see that Parker wasn't even going to look at him, the other man defiantly staring out of the window even though he was sure that Parker would have noticed he was taking his time by now.

Steve wanted to give him time, allow things to cool off before they arrived, and a little time in the car might give Parker a chance to sober up some too, though Steve was guessing that alcohol played only a small factor in the way he was behaving.

Steve sat back in the driver's seat and sighed as he tried to think of what to do next. Parker was right; he couldn't just lock him up in his room and throw away the key. How did you get a man to accept responsibility when he was acting like this?

Steve thought back to the lessons his own father had taught him when he was young, and felt a strong sadness for Parker, realizing that the other man must not have had much in the way of a good role model as a kid.

Steve's hands tightened on the wheel. Well, he wasn't going to give up on Parker; he was a good man who loved his family, he just needed a kick in the butt.

Steve opened the door to the car and Parker stepped out, giving him a frosty look. "Well, we're here. If you wanted to talk, start talking; I have some quality sinning to return to."

Steve shook his head at Parker, annoyed with the continued attempts to shock him. "Come on, then."

Steve walked with Parker along the broad long halls of the mansion to the room that Tony had designated as Parker's when it had become apparent that the man sometimes spent entire nights on the premises working.

Parker paused in front of the door as Steve opened it, "What, it this a gilded cage?"

Steve shook his head as Parker stepped inside with him, and took a seat in one of the room's soft upholstered chairs. "Actually, I just wanted to give us both time to settle down and think on what we've been talking about."

Parker stood there for a long moment giving Steve an angry glare as the other man stared back up at him with a sad look on his own face. Finally, Parker sat on another of the chairs with a sigh and waved at Steve, "Go on, give me the sermon; I can tell you're dying to."

Steve sat back as he contemplated how best to approach the situation without further provoking Parker's rather rebellious young nature. "Alright, let's make a pros and cons list of what's been happening lately to figure out where we are…."

Parker gave him a dull look, "Should I recline on the couch? I don't want a shrink; if you've got something you want to tell me fine, but don't waste my time with this shit; I've got better things to do."

Steve's brow drew down, "Yes, you want to keep throwing a tantrum because you don't feel like you can be the person you want to be, so you tell yourself that you're just a scumbag and take the easy road."

Parker scoffed, "Is that what you think? You don't know anything at all about me, old man; you don't know what I want and I'm not looking to be saved, 'hero', so you can fuck off now." Parker stood, "Well, if you're done sticking your nose into my life, I think we're done here."

Steve looked at him serenely a moment then stood, stepping over to Parker and placing a hand on his shoulder, shoving down hard and causing Parker to sit hard. "Sit. You are a liar, Parker, and I think that's the first thing we need to address."

Anger flashed across Parker's features at Steve sudden repeat violation of his personal space, "Fuck you! I haven't lied, and what the fuck do you care, anyways?"

Steve shook his head, "No, you've been lying to yourself for a long time. When I saw you with Briana I saw the only honest thing about you to note since meeting you. You've always seemed uncomfortable, like you had something to hide…"

Parker splayed his hands, "Exactly what the fuck do you think I'm hiding? I just told you back there that I intend to bone a whor…"

Steve cut him off, "That's exactly what I meant; I can tell you might do the things you say, but I can also see you're conflicted about it."

Parked shook his head, "Who made you the judge of that?"

Steve sighed and sat again heavily, "Like I said back there, I've been watching you, and I think you're more of an onion than you give yourself credit for."

Parker frowned, "Why do I have to be an onion? I hate onions."

Steve opened his mouth then stopped and smiled, realizing that Parker had been joking with him, which was a good thing. He took another tentative step in their conversation, "You betrayed the fact that you don't feel you could be reformed earlier, you said something about having been a crook…"

A dark look crossed Parker's face and he sat back, "Like you don't already know. I'm sure you are all together on the idea of putting an opponent out of the game by converting him like this."

Steve shook his head, "I've never heard about it before today, and I'm sure that the reason I haven't is because Janet respects your privacy." Steve leaned back and gave Parker a studious look, "From what I've seen, no one has been pushing you to do anything."

Parker grunted, "Bullshit, I've felt nothing but heat from you guys since I went out to this fucking mansion."

Steve raised an eyebrow, "Well, seeing as no one here except Janet even knew about your past, that would be impossible, and I don't appreciate being called a liar, Parker. You have yet to feel any 'heat' from me or anyone else here, too."

Parker shook his head, "Whatever." He slumped back into the chair he sat on, staring darkly at the floor.

Steve's brow furrowed as he watched Parker sulk, "Why don't you tell me a bit about your past? Obviously it weighs on you, because I've never seen you act like this."

Parker clucked his tongue, "You don't know the first thing about me, and I don't really feel like that's any of your business." Parker gave Steve an even glare, bracing his arms on the chair as if to rise, "Are we done now?"

Steve recoiled once more at the disrespectful manner and tone of the younger man, and sat there a moment, putting together how he should react. He was a man from a different time, literally, and Steve often had to work to acclimate to this current world's views.

For one thing, the youth seemed to be far ruder to their elders than Steve ever would have thought possible, and the people of this future accepted it as a matter of course. Steve sighed, pushing his reaction to Parker's attitude down; he had to remember that things were different now.

Parker's expression became even more disgruntled, "You falling asleep over there, old man? I told you we should be done now, because I'm done with this conversation." Parker watched him a second more and seemed to decide that it was enough, and stood again.

Steve's eye twitched and his jaw set in righteous conviction. He didn't care if things were different anymore; at least he didn't right now. Maybe this new way of thinking was what was wrong with the world.

Steve stood as Parker did, taking the younger man by the bicep in one powerful hand and pulling him over to his own seat. Parker's face registered surprise and annoyance as he grab ahold of Steve's hand in an attempt to pry himself loose, "What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

Steve's face betrayed only calm resolve though, as he sat himself back into his own chair, dragging the protesting Parker with him. With a swift, strong motion Steve hauled Parker into his lap, so that he lay prone over Steve's knees.

Parker punched out at Steve but found he had no leverage for an effective strike, cursing the whole while, "What the fuck?"

Steve took Parker's offending hand and neatly tucked it against the younger man's side, so that Parker couldn't use it to lash out or block him for what he planned to do next. With measured movements, Steve unfastened Parker's pants and pulled them down far enough to expose the other man's pale cheeks.

Parker hissed at the insult, kicking hard in an attempt to upset Steve's balance so that he might get the leverage needed to free himself. Steve paused in surprise for just a moment, not having expected Parker's speed or strength with his legs, but after a small adjustment, he threw his own thick leg into position, locking Parker's to the chair.

Parker struggled but Steve held him tightly, and he became furious at the Avenger for treating him like this. "You can't do this shit to grown men, asshole! Whatever fruity gay shit you did back in the day is outdated in addition to being homo. Let me go, or I'm telling the others what a fucking perv you are!"

Steve shook his head, insulted but not letting Parker see how much, "You know this is strictly punishment as well as I do, so feel free to tell them what I did to correct your behavior." Without another word Steve brought his hand down, smacking Parker smartly on his exposed backside.

Parker howled in rage and kicked hard, but knew that Steve didn't even feel his efforts. The serum that gave the soldier his strength made him ridiculously resilient. He cursed, panting with the efforts that yielded him nothing, "What right do you have to 'correct' me anyways? You're not my dad!"

Steve nodded, noting how angry this was making Parker. The younger man's face was flushed with the heat of his emotions to the same color of red that

Steve's even swatting was making his ass. "I'm not; why don't you tell me what your father would've done if he had known what you said to me?"

Parker went quiet, simply glaring at Steve, and the Avenger realized that he had struck true; apparently Parker's father wouldn't have approved of his behavior either. "He would've probably just hit me like a man instead of this gay-ass approach."

Steve measured out more even, powerful swats, watching with care that he didn't hit Parker too hard. The younger man bucked and seethed in a manner that made it clear that he was definitely hurt by the swats, though he tried to hide it. "I can't 'hit you like a man', Parker. You wouldn't be able to handle it, so I'm going to treat you like the punk kid you're acting."

Parker gritted his teeth both against the stinging pain Steve administered and the further insult of Steve stating that he 'couldn't handle it'. He looked back over his own shoulder at Steve with the most menacing glare he could manage, "You can't hold me forever, and when I get free I'm gonna kick your fucking ass!"

Steve realized he shouldn't goad Parker into being any angrier; it wasn't going to teach the young man anything, so he took a deep breath and tried again. "What was your father like, Parker?"

Parker's mouth shut into a tight line and his eyes watched Steve with loathing before he finally replied, "What the fuck do you care? What, you wanna see if he ran out on us too, so you can say 'like father like son'?"

Steve gave Parker a piercing look, "Is that what you feel; that you're doomed to follow in his footsteps?"

Parker fidgeted, the uncomfortable slapping making their conversation feel very one-sided. He bared his teeth at Steve, "Fuck off, I didn't ask for your help, Doctor Phil, and I sure as hell don't want your nosy opinions."

Steve sighed, continuing to pelt Parker's now deeply reddened cheeks with his flat palm, the way Parker shifted from side to side evidence that the punishment pained him. "I'll try not to smother you with opinions, then. I'm going to be as open-minded as I can be, but I think this nonsense about seeing a whore…"

Parker shouted at Steve in a fit of rage, "I said mind your fucking business! I'm a grown man and I'll make my own choices, fuck you very much."

Steve grew quiet and left Parker alone with the only the sound of the even swatting to keep him company. Parker winced a bit with each slap and lowered his head, finally stopping his struggles as the over-whelming certainty that he couldn't get free by fighting started to sink in.

Parker closed his eyes tightly and did his best to imagine he was someplace else, where captain fucking America didn't have him stretched out over his knee. He was totally sober now, the effects of the alcohol easily overridden by the intense sting in his buttocks.

Parker clenched his fists at his sides, feeling helpless and unable to stop from comparing the feeling to the one concerning John. As the steady discipline continued and Parker dwelled on not only how much he had screwed over his cousin, but also how much of an asshole he had returned to being, he started to wonder if he didn't deserve this humiliation.

Parker didn't look back at Steve, staring at the floor, but he suddenly stirred, speaking up, "I've cheated on her so many times it's not funny, why worry about once more?"

Steve paused; a little surprised that Parker would say this now. He finally replied in an understanding voice, "Because now you would be ruining everything you've worked to achieve."

Parker looked back at Steve, his eyes limned in water due to the intensity of his feeling, "And what the fuck is that? I sacrificed my own cousin to run away from my problems, and didn't even think twice about it!"

Steve answered calmly, "You have a girlfriend and daughter who love you. You have friends in the Avengers who would help you if you only asked."

Parker looked away angrily, "You people don't even know me, and Janet made it clear that you all think my own blood isn't worth saving from life in prison, even though he was innocent."

Steve sat silently for a moment and then nodded, "Parker, if you look me in the eye and tell me that your cousin is truly an innocent man, I'll back your efforts to see him released."

Parker looked back at Steve, his eyes studying the soldier whose word he knew would sway a court. He was torn between his desire to free John from the mess he had put him in and a new feeling, one that Steve had elicited simply by being himself.

This man was offering to help a known felon simply because Parker might be convinced he was innocent, and suddenly Parker didn't feel that telling Steve that his cousin was 'truly innocent' would be the right thing. Who was he kidding? John was a criminal, and had chosen to continue doing what they had been doing even after Parker had offered him a way out.

Steve watched Parker and sensed the sudden reluctance, "Have you told Sara about the other women?"

Parker frowned, "No. I… I think she would leave me if I did." Parker laid his head down, suddenly feeling tired and old despite his years. Why was he unloading on Steve like this? He had never shared with anyone like this, except maybe Luke.

Steve nodded again, "So you decided to straighten your life out, but you failed to be honest with her because you were afraid…"

Parker glanced back, anger rising again, "Fuck you, man; I'm not about to lose my daughter in a custody battle because of some mistake better left buried."

Steve was quiet a moment, "I think I can understand how conflicted that makes you. But has keeping it a secret made everything okay, or is it festering in your heart, making you feel guilt and ruining any chance you'll ever have at happiness? Sometimes we have to take steps that hurt us to profit in the long run."

Parker gritted his teeth angrily at Steve's fortune cookie wisdom, but he closed his eyes, realizing regardless that there was merit to the other man's words. He shifted uncomfortably, "Can I get up, now? You wanted your talk and we're having it; there's no reason for you to fucking bully me like this."

Steve lingered a moment and then nodded, but kept his grip on Parker, "On two conditions; one, you cut out the cussing and show some respect, at least as much as you can, and two; you go home to your family tonight and keep everything you've worked for."

Parker glared at Steve, hating him simply for making mandates, but he finally nodded, despite his frown. Steve let Parker up and the other man gently pulled up his pants, mindful of the painful swelling. Parker sat back down gingerly, trying not to betray how much the action stung.

Steve watched him, speaking once Parker was settled again, "I admire your loyalty to your family, Parker; I think it's one of your best traits, and I promise to see that John gets a fair trial. I can't help you with Sara, but I can give you one piece of advice…"

Parker listened, raising an eyebrow, "Oh, and what is that?"

Steve smiled grimly, "Shoulder what you've done and take the hurt you've caused her just like the punch you would have expected from me. Take it 'like a man', and you'll feel better for it; you'll feel free."

Parker only watched Steve's face, his own countenance thoughtful and brooding for a while. "I suppose I have always been fair at finishing what I've started…"

Parker sat alone in the living room of the apartment he shared with Sara. He could hear her crying in the other room, and the sound of it grated on his soul like a dull knife. He had tried to hold her when she had first started, right after he had told her about his infidelity, but she had pushed him away and run from the room.

Parker couldn't help but remember what she had said when she had almost discovered that he had cheated before; that she would leave him. Parker didn't feel very free right now; he felt shackled by the weight of what he had done to someone he loved, but he supposed these things took time to heal.

After a while Sara came out again and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had a suitcase in her hand and a determined look on her face, "I'm going to take Briana and head over to my mother's. Is there anything else you wanted to say?"

Parker stood, gulping back the hard lump in his throat. "Yeah, I had a few things…" Parker licked his lips, "For one; I'm sorry; I was stupid, and never wanted to hurt you. Two; I was hoping that if I told you up front, you might be more willing to give me another chance…"

Sara interrupted him, her anger rising to replace her grief, "You told me before that there was no one! You lied to my face, Parker, when I asked you to tell me the truth. Why should I forgive you now?"

Parker went down to one knee, pulling a small box from his pocket with shaking hands, and opening it to reveal a ring with a small diamond on it glinting inside. "Because I have been really trying to start fresh, and I want you to marry me; to be my one and only."

A long silence followed that left Parker's heart aching in worried anticipation, and finally Sara spoke, "Do you really love me, Parker? Or do you want to marry me because it'll make you feel like less of an asshole?"

Parker hesitated, and Sara nodded, "I thought so. I'll call you later, when I've got my head straight."

Sara left and Parker remained kneeling on the floor, his own heart breaking.

Sara surprised Parker in her approach to their separation; she moved out of his apartment to her mother's as promised, but stayed within the city even after she left her mother's place. She didn't seek to pursue custody of Briana in court, simply making a deal with Parker that both would spend equal time with their daughter.

As time passed Parker realized to his disappointment that though he and Sara occasionally went to see movies with Briana or visited a restaurant together, they were never going to be a couple again. With time, Parker started to understand what Steve had said, that the cost of his mistake had been to lose Sara.

On the bright side, though, Parker was still able to see his daughter, and he did in fact feel free, as if by telling Sara what he had done, they were able to be closer friends. He knew now that he hadn't really been in love with her, and perhaps it would all work out better this way.

They shared the next Christmas at the Avengers mansion again, except this time Parker mingled with everyone, happier as he watched countless smiling faces greet him than he could ever remember feeling.

The plate glass between allowed John to see clearly as Briana blew him a kiss, "Come home soon!"

John smiled affectionately as he sat on his side of the window, "I will if I can, sweety."

Parker gave his cousin a strained smile, knowing that it would be at least five more years before John would be free of his new home in prison. "You look good, cuz, never knew you'd be able to sport orange like that."

John frowned and rasped at Parker, "Asshole, go blow yourself."

Sara piped in, shaking a finger at John, "John, don't be teaching her those words; she can talk now and the last thing I need is you adding to her vocabulary."

John nodded soberly, "Sorry, ma'am." He glanced down at Briana where she sat in Parker's lap, "You don't listen to anything your mean ol' uncle John says, okay?"

Briana giggled and Parker leaned forward, looking at John's face carefully, "Cuz, do you have something on your face?"

John brought a hand to his face absently, "Oh, yeah, that. I got a shiner; just some punk who thinks him and his own the yard."

Parker's brow furrowed in worry, "Try not to do anything too stupid, okay?"

John smiled, "Who, me? Nah, I'm smart as they come, these pricks aren't gonna rule me. So are you still working for big boy Stark?"

Parker smiled, "Yeah."

Briana piped in, "Daddy is a super hero!"

John looked surprised and Parker cut in before he could get any ideas, "Perhaps if running a desk for the people who wear that title qualifies, sure. I wouldn't say there's much heroic about me, though."

John smiled widely, "Well, I agree with Briana. I may hate it here, but it's only made it that much more clear what being a lifer here would have been like, and I know I owe you for dodging that bullet. You're my hero, too, Park."

"Brooding again?"

Parker turned to see Steve had moved up behind him, and he shrugged, "Just thinking about how crazy the last few years have been."

Both men stood outside of the Avenger's mansion, Parker having come to work early, a change that started due to his want to be away from home. It was too quiet there, with Briana over at Sara's place for the next few days.

Steve smiled, "I hear you and Clint are inseparable now."

Parker smiled back, "He plays a mean game of pool, and I know I can jibe at him without him taking offense…" Parker's eyes wandered over the grounds, as if looking for the target of his disdain, "Not like some people, anyways."

Steve laughed, "Well, you won't see much of Pietro anymore; I hear he's moved west. He's never had much of a sense of humor anyways, so it's probably not your fault." Steve took a moment to enjoy the cool air a moment, "How's your mother?"

Parker looked up surprised, but Steve waved off his unasked question, "Janet told me you visit her often and that her health isn't very good, that's all. Is she doing alright now?"

Parker shook his head sadly, looking down. "Nah, she's never going to be better; apparently the doctors say she has an incurable case of degenerating dementia, or something like that."

Steve frowned in sympathy and put a hand on Parker's shoulder, "I hate to impose, but would you mind if I visited her with you the next time you went?"

Parker raised an eyebrow at this, "Why would you want to do that?"

Steve smiled at him, "Because I want to tell her as soon as possible that her son took on a hard life and came out a good man."


	5. Reduction

Parker smiled as he watched his daughter walk in the awkward gait that was reserved for toddlers. She moved across the sandy beach with a decidedly graceless manner until she reached some other children who were building a sand castle.

Here she stopped and stared in awe at the crude structure, as if it were the most astonishing thing she had ever seen. Sara's voice piped up from over Parker's shoulder, "You should get her before she decides those kids' castle has too many walls."

Parker grinned and set off to grab his daughter before her reign of destruction could spell calamity for the other children. Already little Briana stood with her chest poked out, her fists balled and her little face scrunched into her 'destroyer' look.

Parker snatched her just in time to stop her headlong charge and tickled her instead. He was greeted with a chorus of giggles for his efforts and he smiled down at her. The castle already forgotten, Briana kicked at him and sought to pull his hair, both traits taught to her by her father that Sara certainly did not approve of.

Parker laughed and carried her upside down back to where their towels lay spread upon the beach.

The smell of disinfectant was strong in the air. The dim lighting illuminated a simple prison hospital, where Parker stood wringing his hands and pacing the floor. They did not receive guests here normally due to the nature of the facility, but Luke had called in a favor.

Regardless, the doctors had insisted that Parker stay outside of the operating room and far enough away that he could not see what was happening with

John. He felt impotent and furious at the same time, only barely restraining himself enough not to be thrown out.

Parker raged at the lack of proper security here, that John had been hurt by his fellow inmates so badly, but even as he thought this he knew that guardsman could only do so much. The fact that he could not protect his cousin and continued to be unable to help filled him with despair.

The lead doctor who had arrived just before Parker had told him that John's ribs had done some damage to his organs and that immediate surgery was necessary, but had volunteered nothing else, simply stating that Parker needed to stay out of sight and out of the way if they were going to do their job.

So Parker stood there, helpless and feeling a strong feeling of responsibility for what had happened, regardless of whether he actually had a rationale for feeling that way. After what felt like an eternity a doctor approached Parker and smiled, "He's going to be okay."

Relief washed over Parker and he shook the doctor's hand, "Thank you. Is it alright if I see him?"

The doctor shook his head, "There's no point at the moment; he's unconscious and drugged and you won't be able to talk. Why don't you come back tomorrow and visit when he has rested from the operation?"

Reluctantly Parker nodded, handing the doctor a piece of paper, "Here's my number; call me if absolutely anything happens."

The doctor took the number and nodded to Parker. "He's going to pull through. The best thing you can do for him now is to get some rest yourself so that he can see a bright face when he wakes."

Parker tried to show John a bright face, but he could constantly feel a scowl pushing its way onto his face over what had happened. John looked far worse than he had even expected, both arms and one leg wrapped tightly into casts and what could be seen of his face underneath the linen covered in bruises and cuts.

John's breath came in shallow gasps and seeing his cousin in such a state left Parker battling with furious urges that saw no outlet for their wrath. John gave him a weak smile, his eyes reflecting that he hurt despite the drugs they had given him for the pain, "Happens, cuz. I thought my number was up, but those doctors, they saved my life, Park.

Parker bit his tongue, feeling that fact to be poor consolation considering what had happened. He forced himself to smile for his cousin's sake, though. "Yeah, if they hadn't how else would I kick your ass for gettin in this mess?"

John made a short noise like a laugh, "I think I have had enough of that for now… maybe later."

Parker sat next to his cousin as he let go of a long sigh, "So what the hell happened, John?"

John glanced down as well as a person who's head was fixed in place could, "I'm on some the wrong people's shit lists. I might've gotten a little cocky…"

Parker gave him an aggravated look, "Why wait until you're in prison to get a big head, John… don't you realize how stupid that is?"

John gave Parker an annoyed look, "Hey, fuck you. I've been having a rough time trying to establish myself since you bailed on me and I was trying to let em know I'm not to be fucked with."

Parker met his gaze until John looked away, "You were being stupid; stupid enough for them to straight out try to ice you. Now that you've eaten it you think that if you duck your head a little they might let it go?"

John gave him a sad, frightened look, then looked away again, "I, I dunno."

Parker gritted his teeth, sitting in a simple folding chair across from John. He brought his head into his hands and thought about what he might do. Ask Luke to intervene, maybe put John under protective custody?

That couldn't last, and Parker knew the root of the problem was really John, not the thugs who had tried to kill him. "Dammit, you prick. Why can't you do anything without fucking it up?"

John gave him a hurt look and then looked away, his chin set stubbornly, "Fuck you."

Parker sighed, apologizing, "John, I'm sorry; I'm just worried about you, and that was uncalled for." John gave Parker a startled look that made his cousin chortle in brief humor, "Yeah, I apologize now; guess I've changed."

John gave him a weak smile, "Not a bad change; you can start sayin your sorry over a couple other…"

Parker gave him a tight smile, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Look, John; stay here and rest up, I'm gonna figure this out and make sure you stay safe, okay?"

John nodded, and Parker stood and crossed over to him, patting his shoulder gently so as not to jar him, "Everything's gonna be fine."

Hank glanced back at Parker as the other man followed him through Hank's labs in the infinite mansion, a giant complex Hank had designed within an alternate 'pocket' universe. Parker gazed around at the huge machinery in obvious awe. "I must admit, Parker, I am a little surprised at your sudden interest in my work."

Parker shrugged, smiling, "Not so sudden; I was always fascinated with science back in school, but I dropped out before I could explore too much."

Hank nodded, "That's too bad, but nothing that can't be caught up on; your obviously a very bright young man, Parker. I'd be happy to go over anything you'd like to learn about. I was a teacher for a while, and I'd like to think that I'm pretty good at it."

Parker's smile widened, "That's great, Mr. Pym. Could you tell me how you shrink and grow; ever since I first heard about you I've always wondered how you did it."

Hank smiled back, beaming with pride, "Certainly! And please, call me Hank…"

Parker smiled at John as he entered the simple room that John now resided in until such time as he was well enough to return to normal prison care. Once the cloak had been taken from him and John had lost his powers, the Raft had decided that he was no longer a threat worthy of their extremely high securities and moved him to a regular prison.

That hadn't protected John from his fellow inmates at all, though, thought Parker. Perhaps John had gotten a little too used to his super human prowess and forgotten that regular people could still beat the life out of you.

Parker nodded to a nurse that was disconnecting some machines from John and sat in a simple folding chair that he pulled next to the bed. He leaned in and took a good look at his cousin, "You look like shit."

John gave him a half-smile, "So do you; at least I have an excuse."

Parker nodded his agreement with John's accusation. He certainly felt like shit; he hadn't slept much the last few days and not at all the previous night. He waited until the nurse left and leaned even closer, "I have something that will help me get you out of here, but I can't do it unless you're well enough that it won't kill you."

John's eyes widened and he returned with a frenzied whisper, his face already brightening with hope, "What is it?"

Parker glanced at the panel windows and door into the room nervously, and then pulled something out of his pocket that he palmed into John's hand. "It's a pill that contains Hank Pym's Pym particles. This one will shrink you and I have another that will make you grow. He has much better, but I figured I'd play it safe and steal one of his older designs."

John gave Parker a look that suggested he thought his cousin had gone mad, "And how the fuck is getting smaller gonna help? Make me even easier to wrestle back in here is what it would do, and even if I use the enlarging one, I'm pretty sure I'd get my injured ass kicked."

Parker scowled at John, "How small did you think I was talking, moron? We're talking ant size here; the enlarging pills are to make us big again after we get out."

John frowned, "Oh… well if we're going all that small, how are we supposed to leave before they start looking for us; I mean, ants take forever to get places, right? And why do you have to shrink too?"

Parker sighed, "Would you just trust me to cover the details? Are you ready to go or do you need more time to heal?" Parker gave John a serious look, "Be honest man, because this shit strains the body."

John licked his lips and looked out of the pane windows out into the hall beyond their room. No one had come near their portion of the ICU since the nurse had left, and John hesitated only a moment longer before nodding at Parker. "Okay, let's do it."

Parker waited until John had popped his own pill into his mouth and then crawled onto the cot with his cousin before swallowing his own. A few moments later the world moved in a blur of colors that disoriented Parker and left him reeling to fall over onto his face.

Fortunately, Parker was now very small, and there was nothing but soft sheets to meet his descent. He stood on shaky feet, holding his stomach and feeling like he wanted to retch. He supposed he should have asked Dr. Pym what shrinking felt like, but then again he had done enough to incriminate himself for the theft as it was.

Parker looked around for John, but didn't see him. Panic flashed into Parker, as the thought that John might have fallen off of the simple cot to his death entered his mind, but off in the distance of his much altered landscape he finally spotted John.

Waving, he saw John wave back and he began to run over to his cousin, slowing to a trot when he realized how far they really were from each other.

Parker found it amazing how different everything felt, even though he had expected a change in perspective, he could not have prepared for the full magnitude of it.

Parker finally reached John and noted that his cousin sat and his breathing was heavy. "You okay, cuz?"

John was pale, and his voice was unsteady, "Yeah, I just… I just need a minute. You shoulda told me it'd turn my insides out."

Parker grimaced, "I didn't know exactly that it would happen like that, but I did tell your ass that it would strain you." Parker gave John an angry look,

"You better have been straight with me that you're cool to travel." John wiped at his brow and stood suddenly, "Yeah… yeah I'm fine. Let's go."  
>Parker pulled something else from his jacket pocket, two items that looked like miniscule coins. He handed one to John and then set the one he had on the bed at his feet, taking small vials from another pocket and handing one to John, "You'd best stand back."<p>

John stepped back warily, and Parker opened his vial, pouring the contents on the disk, which immediately sprang upwards in size to be roughly the size of a large moped. Well, a large moped to the two tiny men, anyways. Parker stepped onto the now much larger disk and it immediately lifted from the bed, hovering in place.

John watched in amazement as a metal rod extended from the disk and stopped in front of Parker's waist, two metal prongs unhinging from it. Parker took hold of it and John realized that it was a set of handlebars to control it with, as his cousin smiled and winked at him, taking off to fly a little circle overhead.

John watched a moment more; his mouth agape, and then he hastily set down his own disk and poured the contents of the vial Parker had given him atop it, "Oh hell yes, I want me one of those."

The disk wobbled as John lifted from the bed, and Parker warned him, "Careful at first, okay? It takes a little getting used to."

A minute later John was soaring around with growing confidence and he hooted in joy, and then looked around fearfully. Parker laughed at him and pulled up beside him, "Don't worry; your voice is as big as the rest of you, and no one can hear us."

John smiled widely and looked around, "I'm liking this more and more, but…" John's smile faded, "How do we get out?"

Parker pointed at the door that led into the room, "We wait until someone opens the door and then we shoot through it before it closes again. Hang with me above the door frame and be ready, okay?"

John nodded and they moved to the spot indicated. Time passed and eventually the nurse returned her pace increasing as her worried gaze passed over the empty room from the hall. She burst into the room and even as she passed through the door began to call for help.

Parker and John whizzed by overhead without the nurse noticing, and they waited at the next door, repeating the trick when she hastily turned to seek out someone to relay the escape to. Speeding through the facility in the same fashion, Parker led John to the exit, smiling at the rush of knowing this would be another escape he had succeeded at.

At the last hallway though, two guards at the other end pointed at the two of them distinctly as they shouted their discovery, and one of them stepped in front of the door that the two needed to pass to achieve freedom.

Parker pulled his disk to a stop, cursing as he scanned the room for another option. The other guard seemed to be thinking the same thing as Parker, because he lunged for the open window even as Parker opened the throttle on his machine, "Go, John, go!"

John wasted no time, zipping through the opening as Parker careened toward the guard, who instinctively backed up and swatted at the insect-like machine that had been barreling toward his face. His hand clipped the disk, and the world turned over and over, Parker's feet leaving it as he held onto the handle for dear life.

Parker fought to fight his disorientation as his vehicle wheeled toward the window, its course set to collide with the pane and likely crush Parker to death.

Unable to regain control of the device, Parker lunged from the disk and slammed into the window sill, the air driving from his lungs as he hit hard.

Rolling a few times, Parker managed to crawl back up to standing and marveled at the fall he had just survived. He looked back as a monstrous shadow fell across him and his vision was filled with the guard's descending hand.

A harsh metallic grating noise sounded and Parker had what little air left in his lungs pummeled from him as John hit him with his own body, his cousin straining to hold onto Parker and the disk as they took off into the air again, the machine making a horrible grinding and smoke pouring from it.

John yanked back on the controls as hard as he could as the prison fence loomed into view, and they just barely soared over it.

John kept trying to get them to level out, but either their combined weights made it impossible to balance, or the damage the disk had taken proved to me too much, and they wobbled madly before the disk simply began to turn over, giving both men a horrifying glimpse of the ground, which grew a little closer each time it rotated.

Parker's eyes darted around for something, anything that could save them, and at last he screamed out to his cousin, tugging on him, "Jump!"

They leapt and splashed in a vast lake that Parker knew had saved their lives. He looked up to watch their ride sail through the air further out to crash into a mountain that Parker realized on further inspection was actually a bus stop bench, the towering grey stone certainly looking like a mountain at first.

Parker laughed, "Well, that was fucking close, eh, cuz?" Parker's smile faded when John didn't respond and when he turned he saw no sign of his kin.

"John?" Panic raced through Parker as he remembered his cousin's injuries, and he began to search frantically, diving under the water to look around.

Finally spotting his cousin, Parker fought back the sting of fear at how John floated without moving and swam over to snatch him up. Pulling as hard as he could, Parker hauled him to the surface, and then began the slow painful process of swimming them both to dry land.

Dragging John onto shore, Parker kneeled and pounded on his cousin's chest, "Breathe, damn you! I don't know how to give fucking CPR!"

John didn't move, though, and Parker's heart hammered at the thought that he had just killed his cousin with his reckless actions. He licked his lips and decided that he had seen enough movies to try to breathe into John at least.

Parker leaned forward and John sputtered water at him, "Don't kiss me, you fucking fagot!" Parker breathed a sigh of relief and hugged his cousin, then helped him to stand. John winced at the show of affection, "Ease up, Mr. Rogers, my ribs are busted."

John took a shaky step, cried out in pain, and would have fallen, but Parker helped him back to the ground gently. John gave Parker a small smile, "Shit, I feel like I might have pulled a couple hundred somethings."

Parker gritted his teeth, pulling off his jacket and putting it under John's head. "You cunt, John, I told you that if you weren't healed enough…"

John replied angrily, "Asshole, I was fine, like I said. I got hurt saving your ass!"

Parker sighed and lay out on the ground, still exhausted from the strenuous swim. "Sorry, I'm just a little worried; we just lost our rides and we can't exactly take the enlargement pills now. We're not that far from the prison and you can't walk. Fuck!"

Both men sat in silence a while and John gazed out at the water, "So what is this, a mud puddle?"

Parker shrugged, "I guess." He glanced around, finally taking in his surroundings. Blades of grass towered over their heads, making it hard to see anything other than the bench and a few street posts and signs, traffic noise making it clear that they were close to the highway.

Parker stuck his hands in his pockets, finally making his decision, "Okay, so we stay small until we can find somewhere to hide, and then I enlarge us."

John winced as he tried to turn to look at his cousin, "How; you going to carry me?"

Parker walked over to a twig that was as thick and long as a sapling tree to his diminished self, picking it up as he gazed at a few blades of grass that were only chest height; new sprouts. "Just watch, I'm going to go straight up MacGyver on this."

Parker had to admit that his jury-rigged stretcher didn't look half as awesome as he had envisioned it, and it had been a pain in the ass to get John onto it and secure, the device ripping in inopportune places constantly, so that both men struggled for hours just to make it functional.

But functional it was, and at last Parker found himself pulling John along the ground, making for the direction that they both heard traffic coming from. "Dammit, John, I thought you were skinny; you been getting fat in prison?"

John scoffed at him, "Solid muscle; you're just a pansy bitch."

Parker laughed at his cousin as he continued to struggle with the twig handles of the stretcher, the side of it that John's legs rested on dragging along behind them. In the movies dragging someone like this didn't seem that big a deal. Parker now had more proof that he should ignore everything he saw on television.

Both men heard the strange keening noise and Parker froze, trying to place what could make such a sound. They both looked around them at the tall stalks of grass, the noise growing louder and then stopping.

After a moment more, Parker pushed on, pulling at John as it seemed the ground was fighting his efforts more the closer they got to their destination.

John spoke from behind him, "So we figure out how to cross the street without dying and then hole up in the first place we find that isn't occupied, but then what?"

Parker frowned, "I don't know yet. Kinda working on it, cuz."

John bowed his head sullenly, "Yeah, we're now two wanted men a stone's throw from prison and I'm starting to think doomed to get caught. Park… you gotta give up and get out of here, man."

Parker glanced back at him angrily, "Fuck that; you give up now and they'll tack a full sentence on you for trying to escape. I'll figure something out, just let me think."

John grew quiet and Parker turned back to his efforts and his thoughts. A moment later his cousin roused him again, though, "Park…"

Parker whirled on him, "Dammit John, stop being such a…" Parker's eyes widened as he saw the monstrous black shape looming into view, not as tall as the tree-like grass, but easily shoving those huge blades aside with its armored bulk.

John's voice was low but hurried and scared, "Park, move it, I think it's coming right at us!"

As if to make John's point, the giant ebony beetle paused, the keening they had heard before now deafening as its relatively small head angled down at them so that it could study them with its dark orbs. Parker hauled on the stretcher and began to run as fast as he could, "Shit!"

Parker's legs and arms both burned in protest of the strain, and he felt as if both were made of lead. Glancing back and hearing John's terrified scream,

Parker knew they weren't going to be able to outrun it. The huge insect was closing the gap between them at an alarming pace, and he suspected that it could move even faster if it felt it needed to.

Parker threw one arm over one twig and continued to haul as best he could, if only to put more distance between them so he would have time as he fumbled at his jacket pocket. He would certainly be caught by the authorities if he grew here on the other side of the prison fence, but if he didn't, they were both going to die.

John cried out a warning and Parker looked down too late to realize that he was racing into a steep drop-off. He yanked his hand back out of his pocket, grabbing ahold of the stretcher and bracing his feet against the soil as they started to slide toward what he could now see was the street curb, "Shit!"

Unable to stop his momentum, especially with John and the stretcher sliding in behind him, the two rocketed over the edge and the pavement below gave the impression that they had both just been launched off of a cliff.

John's shrill scream rang out behind him and the two of them slammed into what looked at first as if it was a shimmering heat wave racing toward them, but as the substance wrapped around them and Parker could feel its pliable nature, he realized they had collided with clear wrapping paper of some sort.

The wrapping paper bent for them only a little, though, and then to their horror, the plastic began to push back to its original shape, their weight not great enough to keep it flat beneath them. They slid back toward the pavement below, and landed roughly, the stretcher and John falling on Parker.

Both paused a moment as Parker realized to his great relief that he was not only alive, but beyond scraped everything was uninjured. Both men glanced fearfully around for the beetle, but could see no sign of it.

Parker stood, groaning in pain at a dozen aches across his body. He moved quickly to check on his cousin, breathing easier when he saw that beyond his previous injuries, John had actually fared better in that fall than Parker had. "Glad I could be your pillow."

John grunted at him, "That's it, man. Just blow us up; I'm done with this shit. Getting out of there and avoiding trouble with my cellmates isn't worth getting us both killed."

Parker stared at his cousin for a few moments, taking in John's serious expression. "Alright, fine…" Parker felt inside his pocket and them patted it, checking his other pockets, "What the hell…?"

John looked at him with concern, "What… don't tell me you don't have them?"

Parker looked at his cousin with a hopeless expression, "When we were running, I think…"

John swore loudly, "Goddammit, Park! We're gonna die like bugs, eaten by bugs, or a bird, or smashed by a jogger or something!"

Parker took hold of both of his cousin's shoulders, "I'm not gonna let that happen." Parker licked his lips as he thought, his eyes wandering as his mind did. "I know what we have to do, but it's going to be a long journey, so I need you to put on your best soldier face, cuz."

John frowned at him, "I thought you weren't into soldiering and all that?"

Parker made an exasperated sound at him as he picked up the twigs of the stretcher again, glad for how resilient it had proved to be after all. "I'm saying to cut the bitching, asshole! Try optimism for once, cause hope's about all we got left…"

John frowned as they moved away from the enormous plastic wrapper, gazing up at it, "Thank fucking god for litter bugs."


	6. Reparation

Hank Pym was an Avenger. He was a scientist who had seen a huge gamut of strange and incredible things, from magic to gods to alien forces from beyond the known universe. Of course, Hank would explain both the magic and the gods in quantities of science at some point, but it could be said that he was well adjusted to the abnormal.

Still, Hank was not ready for what he saw when he opened the door to his home, though. Hank was perhaps not the most observant person, but few could miss the message written in garbage on his doorstep, which clearly read 'Help'.

Hank paused, looking around and seeing no one. He leaned in closer, observing that most of the garbage used was small trash; cigarette butts, toothpicks, matchsticks and the like. Who would have bothered with such an intricate piece of doorstep art?

Hank started to lean up again but halted, noting the tiny man who ran over from the bush that resided to his left. The little person jumped and waved both arms high in the air, or at least as high as a person could when they were that small.

Hank carefully checked that there were no other small folk below him then went down to one knee, leaning in to speak in a whisper, since he knew his regular tone of voice would be like a fog horn to someone so small, "Um… hello?"

The tiny man grew closer to Hank's squinted eyes and he finally could perceive who he was looking at in more detail, "Parker? How the hell did you…"

Hank's expression grew angry, "You stole my tech! Why would you do something so reckless? I trusted you…!"

The miniature Parker hung his head and Hank paused, frowning. Hank let out a deep sigh, "Okay, let me guess… you took my tech but don't know how to enlarge again?"

Parker finally looked up at the towering Hank Pym, nodding, "Something like that."

Pym saw Parker's nod and nodded himself, "I can see you shake your head, but keep in mind that your voice is too small for me to hear you at the moment." Hank saw surprise on Parker's face and gave the tiny man a smirk, "You overlooked a lot of things, eh? Well…"

Hank lowered his hand to the ground flat, indicating that he wanted Parker to climb on, but Parker held up a hand in signal for Hank to wait. Parker trotted over to the bush, and after a few moments he succeeded in pulling the odd sight of the makeshift stretcher with John strapped to it from underneath the bush.

Hank lowered himself further to take in the strange sight, then he looked over to Parker, confused, "Who is that?" Parker emphatically gestured as he spoke, but Hank held up a hand, "Never mind." Hank extended the hand to the ground again, "Come on, I'll get you both back to normal again."

An few minutes later Parker sat on a stool in Hank's lab, watching Hank nervously as he measured out a dose of a liquid Parker had to assume contained his Pym particles, these designed as a growth agent. Hank glanced over at Parker as he did so, "You stole some of my very early work, and could have been killed by it; what if you had grabbed a sample that wasn't complete?"

Parker looked away from the anger in Hank's eyes, because he could see hurt and a sense of betrayal too. "I… we were desperate, and I was fairly sure I wasn't going to get Avenger help on this one."

Hank's tone was furious but controlled, almost as if he stood outside of himself even as he took the microscopic dose over to where John lay on a pedestal that was waist high. "You could have gotten our help if you would have just asked. After the nature of his injuries, getting John into a safer position would have been ease itself."

Parker shook his head, "You wouldn't believe how many snitches we've seen iced despite their fancy 'witness protection' bullshit."

Hank paused and took a deep breath, his anger still apparent, but perhaps lessened. "Well you had the entirety of the Avengers to back you, and you still chose to do something incredibly risky to both of you."

Hank glanced down a moment, and then looked at Parker, the thought on his mind obviously making him even angrier, "Plus you used my tech, making me look incompetent at best, and accomplice at worst."

Parker licked his lips, "Look, if we get caught I swear I'll admit that I stole it from you; I'm sure they aren't going to point fingers at you like that. We knew what the risks were; I just can't stand by while my cousin is put in danger like that."

Hank administered the drink carefully to John with his small syringe device, then stepped back as Parker's cousin resumed his normal size. John groaned as he grew, wobbling and lurching forward from the pedestal. Hank lunged forward and grabbed him, his eyes wide, "I didn't realize John was in such poor shape!"

Parker stood as well, but Hank waved him back, "I think you've done enough. Sit here while I take your cousin somewhere where he can lay down."

Hank began moving to the door and Parker barked at him angrily, "I'm not just going to sit here while you…"

Hank gave Parker a withering stare, "Wait here, because the only person I see who has put this man in danger has been you. Also, if you think that you're leaving this facility with John you are sorely mistaken. You messed up and now you're caught, Parker; just take responsibility for what you've done."

Parker gritted his teeth as he watched Hank turn with John and leave through the sliding door to the lab. After a moment's hesitation he moved over to the door and hit the button to open it, but received only a buzzing sound that indicated the door had been locked.

Parker cursed and kicked over a stool, then sat, considering what this meant for him and John.

Janet spelled out clearly what seeking Hank's aid had meant for Parker and John. Parker sat staring at the floor, furious that Hank had turned them in. Not that Parker hadn't known that coming to Hank would likely mean recapture for John; he had just hoped against reason that they could slip away once restored to their proper height.

Janet was all cold fury, asking the others to leave her and Parker alone to scold him personally, "I can't believe this, Parker! What has gotten into you? Why didn't you just come to us, to me?"

Parker clenched his fists, "He wouldn't have been hurt in the first place if you hadn't insisted on turning him in the first time!" Parker gave Janet an angry glare, "It's your fault that John was hurt like this!"

Janet sighed, sitting on a stool across from him. "I'm sorry your cousin was hurt in prison, Parker; I really am. But breaking him out like this only ensures that he can't get parole."

Parker looked down guiltily, feeling even worse as he thought on how his failed attempt spelled so much harm for John. It seemed everything he attempted to make things right only pushed them more into the wrong. "He's was going to get killed in there; probably still is…"

Janet shook her head at him, "It's a show of your arrogance that you think no one but you can protect your cousin, Parker. I promise you that we will locate John to a new prison and ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."

Parker looked up at her, "But…"

Janet held up a hand, cutting him off. "No buts. We'll tell you where John has been moved on condition that I'll decide later."

Parker gave her an incredulous look, "You're not going to tell me where he's going?"

Janet snapped at him angrily, "You'll be lucky if I can convince the authorities not to press charges on you for assisting a convict to escape."

Parker's mouth snapped shut, but his anger returned and he shouted at her, "You know what I was doing was right; I was only trying to save him!"

Janet frowned, giving him a disappointed look that stung Parker more than her anger. "Do you want to go to jail, Parker?"

Parker's face grew stony, "No."

Janet nodded at him, "Then I'll do what I can to ensure that you go home, but you have to work with me."

Parker only nodded, a frown marking his quiet assent.

"This is bullshit." Parker threw down the shovel he had been digging post holes with. "You're supposed to use a post hole digger for this; you know… it has two handles and two spades and looks kinda like a roundish pair of scissors."

Luke Cage leaned on the completed portion of the fence, "Yeah, well, those cost money, and all we have is shovels, so we just have to dig wider holes. Now pick it up and get back to work."

Parker wiped his brow, clearing the sweat that had accumulated there. "Fuck you. I've played along with this giant sack of shit from the start because

Janet said if I 'proved myself trustworthy' she'd tell me where John went. But it's been two weeks of this community service crap and she hasn't said shit!"

Luke gave him a level look, "The community service isn't for Jan. That would be for the judge that cut you a break and didn't put you in jail. If you wanna seem trustworthy, why don't you finish your days' work?"

Parker clenched his fists in frustration, "This is bullshit; why does a church need a fence anyways? What, is someone gonna steal the pews? And if going along with this bogus crap isn't enough to prove that I'm on the level I don't know what is. I want Briana to be able to visit him soon; she's been asking why she can't see him…"

Luke gave Parker a half-smile, "You could always tell her that's your fault. At least that's easier than telling her why you are in prison, which is a bullet I'm not even sure how you dodged with the stunt you pulled."

Parker's expression grew dark, "My fault? I wouldn't know; how did your family and friends feel when they learned you were in prison? How many people told you that you brought it on yourself, all those things that happened to you in there?"

Luke's expression hardened as he sensed where Parker was going with his line of reasoning, "We're talkin about two different things here, though. I was framed for somethin I didn't do, unless you're saying you didn't break your cousin out of prison?"

Parker waved the notion off dismissively, "You were framed and I was convicted for something that shouldn't be a crime. There is no fucking justice, just people pushing other people around."

Luke straightened, "I hope you don't actually believe that bullshit. Sounds like liberal propaganda; if you wanna shit on the law of the land so much, feel free to go live in the mountains and play your banjo to your heart's content, but here in a community, we all pitch in to try and be fair. The system's not perfect, but it's better than none."

Parker crossed his arms over his chest, "Janet worked to keep me outta jail because she knows that what I did probably saved John either way."

Luke raised an eyebrow at Parker, "How do you figure that?"

Parker gave Luke a smug look, "If John hadn't been pulled outta the cooler like that, then the right people likely wouldn't have noticed what was going on and relocated him. Something had to happen, and even if it wasn't what I intended exactly, at least I succeeded in getting him outta there."

Luke frowned, "That's some piss-poor reasoning; if you had just come to me, I could've had him relocated with a phone call."

Parker's brow furrowed, and he spat at the ground, "You know what? If we're gonna play the 'what if' game, let's just go the distance and say that if

Hank hadn't ratted me out, me and John could've walked and his troubles would've been over."

Luke pointed at Parker, "You're being a dumb-ass. Hank is an Avenger and he did the right thing; your cousin needed medical help, Parker! Would he have to die before you came down off your high horse?"

Parker was furious. The last thing he needed was more lecturing, and having Luke scold him when he should understand frustrated him. "I used to think we were alike, but apparently you've been a straight-laced prick with a stick up your ass the whole time and I just didn't realize it."

Luke frowned, and addressed Parker again when the other man grew quiet, just standing there glaring at Luke. "You going to just hurl names or do you have a point?"

Parker fumed, "You're just like the rest of your fucking Avengers; you think you know what's best for people and you judge them without knowing what the hell you're talking about."

Luke rolled his eyes at Parker, "Look, kid, I've been around the block and I…"

Parker interrupted him, "Like that! You think you know something about living on the streets but I've learned that you didn't actually commit any crimes to wind up in prison. You got there on accident and you use it to make people believe you know what's up. I bet you didn't even deal with much before folks scrambled to release your ass!"

Anger crossed over Luke's face and he moved closer to Parker, "I only see one fool here who doesn't know what he's talking about."

Parker stepped up to Luke, bowing his chest to the bigger man, "What, you gonna hit me because I have your number? I bet you don't have anything in common with those of us on the street past being a thug."

Luke spoke in a dangerous low voice, "No I ain't gonna hit you, son. You're acting like a little boy and I don't hit punk kids like that when they sass me…"

Parker's eyes widened and he snarled at Luke, jumping to the only logical conclusion to what Luke was saying. "Steve told you he spanked me so you're gonna join the homo squad and try your hand, huh?" Parker raised his fists and backed away from Luke, "I'm not getting treated like that again, so back the fuck off."

A look of dumbfounded surprise crossed Luke's face and Parker realized belatedly that the man had not known about the spanking Steve had given him, "What the fuck…?"

Parker backpedaled, "I… uh, Steve beat me up the other day pretty bad, and I just want you to know that I'm gonna fight back…"

Luke gave Parker a half smile and shook his head, "Nah, that's not what you said, and given that we're talkin about Steve here, I can't help but figure you were being literal. So Cap actually whooped your ass?"

Parker flushed red in embarrassment, "No way, you're readin things into it, I was just using a figure of speech!"

Luke pointed over his shoulder as he lifted an eyebrow at Parker, "You want me to ask him? Cause I know Cap isn't gonna lie to me."

Parker's anger flared back up enough to be even with his sudden shame, "Because you don't trust me anymore than Janet does, none of you do, and I'm wasting my time thinking she'll ever tell me where they took my cousin."

Luke held up a hand, "Now hold up, that's not what I…"

Parker made a grand sweeping gesture with his hand, "Well that's fine, cause I've had it with all of you fucking assholes! I'm out of here!"

Parker turned to leave and Luke's brow drew down in annoyance, "Parker, pick up the fucking shovel and finish. You were almost done!"

Parker only made a dismissive wave as he continued to walk away, not even looking back at Luke. So he was caught by surprise when a set of strong hands suddenly seized him from behind and turned him around to face Luke's stern face, "I see why he did it, now; you're acting like a kid throwing a tantrum!"

Parker snarled at Luke, the insult reminding him too much of his shaming encounter with Steve, and he brought a leg up hard to knee Luke in the groin.

Parker's leg slammed into an area that should have been soft but Parker found to his disdain that it was very much not so.

Luke's mouth quirked at the surprised look of pain on Parker's face when the youth realized that he had hurt his knee more than Luke's manhood, "You know I beat punks up for a living, right?" Luke pulled Parker past the fence to the stump of a felled tree, the wide flat surface accommodating both men as

Luke sat and pulled his protégé with him.

Parker knew what Luke was doing before he did it; he wasn't caught off-guard like he had been with Steve. But just as if with Steve, Parker's wild efforts to escape were like striving against a brick wall, and to make it worse Parker was fairly certain that Luke was even stronger than Steve was.

After some frantic kicking that only served to make Parker feel ridiculous, he shouted out at the top of his lungs as Luke settled both of them upon the stump, Parker neatly over his lap. "Let me go you fucking dick! If you wanna fight face me like a man!"

Luke shook his head as he smiled tightly, "Nah, you probably would just break your fist on me; it's safer for you if we settle up this way." Luke studied

Parker a moment, watching the younger man's ragged, angry breaths and flushed face before seeming to make his decision.

Luke reached down and tugged at Parker's already somewhat loose jeans until they revealed his underwear and then his bare buttocks beneath. This elicited a cry of rage from Parker, who kicked and bucked regardless of the fact that he knew he couldn't escape.

Luke brought a powerful hand up then down to smack Parker squarely as the other man watched him, taking care not to hit him too hard but certainly making sure he felt it. Parker hissed a string of expletives at Luke now, calling him every hateful and racist thing he could manage.

Luke almost giggled at his friend's fury, "You gonna pull that card now? You sure you really wanna make me angry?"

Parker gritted his teeth and seemed to take a moment to collect himself despite the pain and the awkward position, "Why you want to treat me like a child, man? I thought we were friends!"

Luke continued to pummel Parker's ass, noting how already it started to turn red under his efforts, which seemed to make Parker twist and gasp in discomfort, "You just tried to write me and everyone else off, remember? And if I'm gonna be your friend, would do for me to teach you to show some respect."

Parker growled at Luke as the barrage continued, wincing against the incredible sting of the swatting even as he struggled to maintain a steady voice against his raging emotions, "You're only doing this because you feel the only way you can make a fucking point is to push me around; which only proves me even more right!"

Luke kept slapping Parker evenly, letting himself establish a rhythm, yet noticing that Parker's frenzied movements only became more so despite the even pace. The accumulating sting of it was obviously getting to him. "You know, I was innocent when I went to prison…"

Parker sneered, "Tell me something I don't know."

Luke frowned, but only responded with more swatting until finally he resumed, "I was in there for a while, but what made it tough for me was that I was full of anger, and I got in fights, kind of like your cousin did."

Parker went quiet, only hissing softly occasionally to the hurtful swats, so Luke went on, "I lucked out in that I didn't get myself killed, but I got close a few times, and when I got on the bad side of some of the guards…"

Luke looked over to see that Parker was watching him, his jaw set against the pain but at least listening, "But that's a story for another time. To get to the point, I got powers and the first thing I started using them for was robbing banks. An innocent man was crippled for life because of me."

Luke took a deep breath and watched as Parker laid his own head down, folding his arms over his head to hide his face. "So I've made bad choices too. Most of us have, Parker, so you can't go thinking that just because you have guilt only you know how to approach it."

Parker lifted his arms to glare, "I don't…"

Luke cut him off with a commanding voice, "Shut the fuck up and just listen. Lean on your friends a little and cut the crap with assuming you know better; you're all of what, twenty? What makes you think you're such hot shit?"

Parker just stared angrily before looking away, not able to meet the conviction in Luke's face. Parker might be stubborn, but something about Luke's no-nonsense personality made him feel stupid for arguing, and he was finally tired of feeling like this.

Seeing that Parker wasn't going to respond Luke continued, "You came to me because you knew you had baggage you couldn't handle on your own. If you want Janet's trust I suggest you give her a little of your own and trust that she'll do right by your cousin."

Luke stopped smacking Parker's backside and leaned forward to look him in the eye, "And you've betrayed trust put in you, or have you forgotten about stealing from Hank? That man has gone through some tough shit because of his inventions getting out of control, and you stole some of his most powerful mojo?"

Parker looked down, feeling guilt now, "I… yeah, that was a douche-bag move. I wasn't gonna let it leak out, though, I was just borrowing it…"

Luke shook his head, "But it could have, and then you would have ruined that man. Have you even apologized yet?" Parker wouldn't meet Luke's gaze. "Why don't you start there for earning some real trust and stop bitching, cause bitching never got anyone anything good."

Parker nodded, feeling foolish to a very high degree to be put in much the same boat with Luke as he had with Steve. He continued to blush in quiet shame as he jaw worked, "Are you going to let me up yet?"

Luke gave him a stern look, "Say please."

Parker gritted his teeth at the request, but he felt like an ass for the things he had said to Luke now, and he figured the other man was taking some petty revenge for the insults. He couldn't blame Luke so he replied with a drawn out, "Please."

Luke smiled and lifted Parker to his feet in one strong motion, allowing the younger man to pull his pants up slowly. Parker leveled Luke with a withering glare but said nothing more, his mouth a tight line of embarrassed anger.

Luke pointed to the shovel on the ground, "Finish what you started."

Parker thought on the last words Luke had spoken to him before the long silence that had fallen over the two as Parker worked to complete his community service project. As he toiled Parker had thought on what Luke had said and taken a moment to think on what he himself had said.

Parker pulled his car into Hank's driveway, seeing that Hank's car was parked out front; evidence that he was probably home. Parker let out a sigh, bracing himself for what was to come. He walked up to the door and pushed the buzzer, wanting to turn around and leave.

The door opened and Hank peered out at him a moment before opening it wider and sweeping his arm into the house, "Hello, Parker. Please, come in."

Parker nodded, frowning at the fact that Hank still treated him with civility even after he had stolen from the man. He stepped into the house and they both sat in the living room, Parker easing onto the seat as Hank brought them both drinks.

Parker stared at his glass of lemonade as he mulled over what he had to say. "I've been a real prick, Hank, and I really came because I wanted to say I'm sorry for using you like I did."

Hank nodded, giving Parker a weak smile as he took a drink from his own glass then sat back onto the opposite couch. "Did you at least mean some of the things you said?"

Parker smiled at the Hank's open vulnerability concerning Parker's opinion of him, and he nodded, "I may not be that interested in super science, but I did mean the things I said about admiring your work in it. You're a genius Hank, and I certainly respect that."

Hank perked up, fairly glowing at Parker's praise. Parker glanced down then raised a tentative eyebrow at Hank, "So… why are you so cool about this? Is this lemonade poisoned or something?"

Hank laughed, "Well, I've had a lot of time to think about what happened, and I know that though you were off the mark, what you did was done with good intention. I heard you had presented yourself to the court and plead guilty, so why should I trample on your second chance?"

Parker stared at Hank for a long moment, "You know, you're alright, Hank."

Hank smiled back, "Tell that to Janet."

Parker did just that, in addition to saying what else he needed to sat to her. Parker ran his hands through his hair, "Janet, I'm also sorry for throwing what happened to John on you. I actually felt responsible for it myself, and I was just blaming you because I was running from my own guilt."

Janet raised an eyebrow at him. They both sat in the 'lounging room' as Tony called it back at the Avengers mansion. This was where Avengers came to relax when they were in uniform but the world wasn't being assaulted by aliens who also dressed up in ridiculous costumes or villains with powerful telekinesis who blew open bank vaults instead of just joining the NBA and becoming both rich and famous.

Janet finally replied, "That's very mature of you, Parker." She smiled, much of the tension leaving the room, "I will admit, I'm a little surprised. The most headstrong of us have the hardest time apologizing. Of course, for future reference, bringing up what a swell guy Hank is isn't leading with the best foot concerning me."

Parker smiled back, "Well what you just said applies to Hank too, and I know that he's not only apologized to you, but…" Parker could see he might be touching on something that was none of his business when Janet looked away, but he forged on; he had come this far, why stop now? "Hank has become humble for you."

Janet's face was impassive but her voice wavered in a way that suggested she hid the extent of her feeling, "Let's not talk about Hank."

Parker nodded, "You know, I feel like I've let you guys down… did you know Steve actually went to see my mom and told her that I was 'an upstanding young man'?"

Janet giggled, "Oh did he now? I hope I wasn't being too intrusive telling Steve about your mother…"

Parker waved her concern off, "You know, at the time I felt so embarrassed, and could only think 'what the hell, Steve is making a fucking mockery of me!'. But now..."

Janet watched him, cocking her head to the side, "Now?"

Parker smiled at her, "Now I realize he was praising me, yeah, but the only reason I had felt ashamed was because I hadn't reached the bar of the person he spoke about, the man I had decided to become but wasn't yet."

Janet leaned forward, twining her hands together in her lap, "And is that still the person you want to be?"

Parker's smile widened, "My daughter deserves for me to be the man Steve spoke of, and I've been telling myself that first I couldn't be that man, and second that I can't rely on others to help me change myself."

Janet leaned back again, "But…?"

Parker went on, "I may not be able to be a Steve; I'm starting to think he's a walking impossibility, but I can try to be the best damn Parker I can, and I know now that I need you guys. Steve draws strength from the rest of you; I just didn't see it at first."

Parker stood and Janet looked askance of him, "Where are you headed?"

Parker smiled, "I'm gonna go draw strength from a few beers and some pool with Clint…. Wanna come?"

Janet had declined his offer to share dirty jokes and beer belches at a local bar, but she had given Parker something before he left; a piece of paper with the address to the new prison John was being kept at. After a few games Parker told Clint about his cousin and Clint offered to go as well, "C'mon, as much as you talk about this guy, he's close to you. I want to meet him."

Parker smiled and nodded, "Alright, but be warned, he's kind of a douche-bag."

The next morning Parker and Clint drove up to see John at his new facility. John sat across from Parker as they were led to the familiar two-way windows to speak. "I was starting to think you were in lock-up somewhere else, cuz."

Parker nodded, "I got lucky. You look much healthier."

John nodded, smiling, "And the food here's better. If I had known this was all it took to transfer, I woulda suggested us trekking through the streets as dangerously small pricks before."

Parker laughed, "Yeah, but next time you carry me, asshole. By the way, this here is Clint; he's good people."

John nodded to Clint, who waved and greeted him warmly. "Let me warn you about Parker, new guy; when we were small the homo curled up on me one night, feeling all up on my junk."

Parker scowled at John, "It was cold you shit-head." Parker quirked a half-smile at Clint, "See, I told you."

Clint laughed, "You guys are a riot. I can see your cousin knows how to push your buttons… hey John, any more pearls of wisdom about Parker? I love watching him squirm like that."

Parker grumbled at Clint, "Well fuck you too, asshole…"

John grinned from ear to ear, leaning forward to speak, "Oh, have I got stories for you!"

Parker covered his face with his hands. He could tell now; you could change who you were, but you could never run from your past…


End file.
